Why are plants green? In photosynthesis, chlorophyll molecules act as solar antennae, so that when sunlight strikes them their electrons are excited to a higher energy state which eventually results it the splitting of water (H2O). The hydrogen ions from the splitting of H2O form a gradient that drives the chemical synthesis of ATP. The energy stored in ATP is then used to make what compound?

Plants are one of the famous autotophic organisms widely recognized. This is due to their photosynthetic ability. Plants are able to undergo Photosynthesis because of a certain light absorbing pigments called CHLOROPHYLL, found in the Chloroplast. This Chlorophyll absorbs red and blue light in the colour spectrum but reflects green light making plants that contains an abundance of them appear GREEN.

The photosynthesis mentioned above is the synthesis of organic molecules from inorganic ones using light energy from sun. It occurs in two major phases: light dependent stage and light-independent stage. The light dependent stage, which occurs in the thylakoid membrane of the Chloroplast, involves the production of ATP and NADPH molecules when a photon of light strikes Chlorophyll molecule making it excited to the point of splitting water molecules in a process called PHOTOLYSIS OF WATER.

The produced ATP and NADPH molecules are then used in the light independent stage also called Calvin Cycle to synthesize organic molecule (glucose) which serves as energy source for the plant.