How are pigments related to photosystems?

Photosynthesis is the process by which light energy is converted to chemical energy. Light shines down on a plant and the chloroplasts trap it. Chlorophyll is the green pigment that we see. It appears green because it reflects the colors it doesn’t absorb, which are green and yellow. A nice way to rememer the visible light spectrum, or the colors absorbed by the plants, is by the acronym ROYGBIV. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. All colors minus green and yellow are absorbed and used for photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Light-absorbing molecules are called pigments, and in photosystems, pigments such as chlorophyll are essential for absorbing light during photosynthesis. They take in light energy and send it to reaction centers, where it is first converted to chemical energy.