Questions: Why do these organisms appear as different colors?

Why do these organisms appear as different colors?
Transcript text: Why do these organisms appear as different colors?
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Solution

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Solution Steps

Step 1: Identify the pigments involved

The problem mentions three pigments: chlorophyll a, phycoerythrin, and phycocyanin.

Step 2: Analyze the absorption spectra

Examine the graph to understand the absorption spectra of each pigment. Chlorophyll a absorbs light primarily in the blue (around 430 nm) and red (around 660 nm) regions. Phycoerythrin absorbs light in the green-yellow region (around 500-570 nm). Phycocyanin absorbs light in the orange-red region (around 620-650 nm).

Step 3: Determine the color appearance

The color appearance of an organism is determined by the wavelengths of light that are not absorbed but reflected. Red algae appear red because phycoerythrin reflects red light. Cyanobacteria appear bluish-green because phycocyanin reflects blue-green light.

Final Answer

Red algae and cyanobacteria appear as different colors due to the different light absorption and reflection properties of their pigments. Red algae reflect red light due to phycoerythrin, while cyanobacteria reflect blue-green light due to phycocyanin.

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