why are plants green?

Question

why are plants green

Answer 1

There are pigment molecules called chlorophyll that can absorb light from the sun. They absorb only a small portion of the spectra reflecting the rest. We see what they do not absorb as the leaf color so chlorophylls reflect green and absorb blue and the red wavelengths.
Chlorophyll is the most abundant but the carotenoids, another class of pigments) are also present in leaves. Carotenoids reflect yellow, orange, or red and absorb blue light. That is why there are so many variations in green leaves with some being yellower and some being bluer, the ratio of the two pigment classes varies with the kind of plant.

Answer 2

Plants are green because they have a substance called chlorophyll in them. Understanding why chlorophyll is green requires a little biology, chemistry and physics.

If we shine white light on chlorophyll, its molecules will absorb certain colors of light. The light that isn’t absorbed is reflected, which is what our eyes see.

A red apple appears red because the molecule of pigment in the apple’s skin absorbs blue light, not red. Thus, we see red. Chlorophyll molecules absorb blue light and some red light. The other colors are reflected resulting in the green color that we associate with plants.

Plants get their energy to grow through a process called photosynthesis. Large numbers of chlorophyll molecules acts as the antenna that actually harvest sunlight and start to convert it in to a useful form. Here’s where the absorbent properties of the chlorophyll molecule come into play.

It turns out that eons of evolutionary design have matched the absorbance of chlorophyll to the actual color of the sunlight that reaches the leaves. Sunlight consists of primarily blue and red light mixed together, which are exactly the colors that chlorophyll molecules like to absorb. Light is a form of energy, so the chlorophyll is able to harvest the sunlight with little waste.

Answer 3

I think what you are asking is deeper than most of the responders realize. Yes plants are green because they reflect green light, but why? Why don't they reflect red light and appear red? Or purple? It turns out that most of the light that reaches the surface of the earth is red and blue. So if a plant wants to get energy, it better be good at absorbing red and blue light. Since relatively little light on earth is in the green spectrum, it hasn't been worth the plants effort to evolve to absorb this little bit of green light. Since the plant does not absorb it, it is reflected and we see green.

Answer 4

The chlorophyll in the plants turns the leaves/petals green during photosynthesis. Despite what you may think no tree except the evergreen is truly green.

Answer 5

Because they contain chlorophyll - green plant pigment.

Answer 6

It's because they contain chlorophyll.It's the reaction of sunlight &chloroplasts in the plant cell.Animal cells don't have this only plants.Good thing or we'd be green after being exposed to sunlight.

Answer 7

This is due to the chlorophyll inside leaves, the chlorophyll absorbs all colors except green which reflects and is the color seen.

Answer 8

because that is the light they reflect back at you
ok so like you ahve the spectrum of lights and i think plants take in a lot of red or something like that but they dont want the green light so that is reflected back to you
its kind of confusing i hope this helps

Answer 9

when they use phootosythesis to make there food, it keeps them alive, like humans skin tones, a plant also has pigments, depending on enviorment

Answer 10

they are green from chlorophyll, which is best at absorption of red light. infrared is the best wavelength for heat absorption