What determines the wavelength of light that can be absorbed by a pigment?

1 Answer
Mark C.
Dec 9, 2017

It is the energy levels available to the electrons in the molecules of the pigment.

Explanation:

Light is absorbed (and therefore cannot be reflected into our eyes) if there is an electronic transition (a ‘jump’ between two energy levels) available whose energy difference precisely corresponds to the frequency of the light incident upon it.

The frequency, f is related to the energy of the photon, E by Planck’s equation, #E_2 - E_1 =h.f# so very specific ‘colours’ are absorbed from the spectrum and those that cannot be absorbed are either reflected (visible to us) or transmitted.

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