NEETBotanyPhotosynthesis in Higher Plants
What happens to electrons in photosystem II when chlorophyll a absorbs 680 nm wavelength of red light?
Options
- AThey become excited and jump into an orbit closer to the atomic nucleus
- BThey become excited and jump into an orbit farther from the atomic nucleus
- CThey become stable and stay in the same orbit
- DThey are emitted from the atom
Correct answer
B. They become excited and jump into an orbit farther from the atomic nucleus
Step-by-step solution
In photosystem II the reaction centre chlorophyll a absorbs 680 nm wavelength of red light causing electrons to become excited and jump into an orbit farther from the atomic nucleus. These electrons are picked up by an electron acceptor which passes them to an electrons transport system consisting of cytochromes. This movement of electrons is downhill, in terms of an oxidation-reduction or redox potential scale. The electrons are not used up as they pass through the electron transport chain, but are passed on to th