Brief Description of Chlorophyll

    Chlorophyll is a green pigment that gives most plants their color and it gives plants the ability to carry out photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is in a group of molecules called chelates along with a lot of other important natural substances. A chelate is a molecule where a central metal ion is bonded to to a large organic molecule. Chlorophyll's structure consists of a a complex ring structure and a long hydrocarbon tail. The molecular structure of the chlorophyll is similar to heme (from hemoglobin) except the center contains magnesium instead of iron. Chlorophyll lies within the cells of plants that are responsible for carrying out photosynthesis; within a cell the chlorophyll molecules are located in the chloroplast, which is a small roundish dense plasmic body that surrounds the nucleus. Chlorophyll absorbs the red and blue-violet parts of light/visible spectrum but it reflects the green portion which gives chlorophyll its characteristic color. Chlorophyll tends to mask the presence of other colors that are reflected in  plants from other substances, like the carotenoids. When the amount of chlorophyll decreases in the fall (because photosynthesis is not being carried out during this time), the other colors become apparent. This is why every autumn the leaves seem to "change colors."

    Chlorophyll is found in all plants that require photosynthesis to live. Chlorophyll can be obtained a few different ways. One of these by taking a solvent of 90% ether and 10% acetone makes it easy to extract the chlorophyll from leaves. Just collect some leaves and use a  smooth edge to rub the pigment off the leaf and onto some filter paper. Once you have rubbed a dark line of pigment onto the paper put the tip of the paper in the solvent and it will cause the pigments in the leaf to separate.