Which statement best explains the role of plant pigments in photosynthesis?

• A. They absorb specific wavelengths of light and transfer the captured energy to the photosynthetic reaction centers for conversion to chemical energy.
• B. They prevent water loss by forming a waxy cuticle layer on the leaf surface.
• C. They synthesize glucose by converting oxygen into carbohydrate during the light reactions.
• D. They directly catalyze the fixation of carbon dioxide into sugars by acting as the enzyme RuBisCO.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that plant pigments are molecules that absorb light energy during photosynthesis.
2. Recognize that different pigments absorb specific wavelengths of light, which allows plants to capture a broad range of the light spectrum.
3. Know that the absorbed light energy is transferred from pigments to the photosynthetic reaction centers, where it is converted into chemical energy.
4. Recall that pigments do not prevent water loss; that function is related to the waxy cuticle on leaves, which is not a pigment role.
5. Remember that pigments do not synthesize glucose directly or catalyze carbon fixation; enzymes like RuBisCO perform carbon fixation, not pigments.