Which pigment is essential for capturing light energy in photosynthesis?

• A. Chlorophyll
• B. Biomass
• C. Carbon Cycle
• D. Diffusion

Answer: (A)

Chlorophyll is the pigment that captures light energy during photosynthesis. It absorbs light most effectively in the blue and red parts of the spectrum and uses that energy to drive the light-dependent reactions, producing ATP and NADPH and releasing oxygen from water. This energy then powers the carbon-fixing reactions that build sugars. In marine ecosystems, chlorophyll (especially chlorophyll a in phytoplankton) is essential because it enables these organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy. The other terms—biomass, the carbon cycle, and diffusion—are not pigments and do not capture light energy.