In the context of pigments of photosynthesis, why does the leaf of a plant typically look green to the human eye?

• A. Because carotenoids absorb all visible wavelengths equally, making leaves appear green
• B. Because green light is converted into heat rather than reflected, making leaves look green
• C. Because chlorophyll absorbs red and blue wavelengths of visible light but reflects/transmits green wavelengths
• D. Because chlorophyll absorbs green wavelengths most strongly, leaving red and blue to be reflected

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the color we perceive from an object depends on the wavelengths of light it reflects or transmits to our eyes.
2. Recall that chlorophyll, the primary pigment in plant leaves, absorbs light most efficiently in the red and blue regions of the visible spectrum.
3. Recognize that chlorophyll reflects and transmits green wavelengths of light rather than absorbing them.
4. Since green light is reflected or transmitted, it is the dominant wavelength reaching our eyes from the leaf, making the leaf appear green.
5. Note that carotenoids absorb different wavelengths and do not absorb all visible wavelengths equally, and that green light is not primarily converted into heat in leaves.