chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is the green pigment found inside chloroplasts in plant cells that helps plants make food.

• Why it is green: Chlorophyll absorbs mostly red and blue light from sunlight and reflects green light, so leaves look green to our eyes.
• What it does in photosynthesis: It traps light energy and helps convert it into chemical energy, which the plant uses to make glucose (food) from carbon dioxide and water.
• Where it is found: Most chlorophyll is in the leaves (especially in the palisade cells), because leaves receive the most sunlight.
• Everyday example: When a plant is kept in the dark for many days, it may turn pale and grow weak because it cannot use chlorophyll effectively to make enough food.
• Interesting detail: In autumn, some leaves look yellow or red because chlorophyll breaks down and other pigments that were already present become more visible.

So, chlorophyll is like the plant’s “solar panel material” — it captures sunlight so the plant can prepare its own food.