Chlorophyll is an important green pigment found in plant cells. It helps plants make food through a process called photosynthesis. Let’s break down how chlorophyll works in this process:

1. Capturing Light:

   • Chlorophyll mainly absorbs light from the blue and red parts of sunlight.
   • It captures about 90% of the light energy needed for photosynthesis, while other pigments, like carotenoids, take in the remaining 10%.

2. Making Energy:

   • When chlorophyll absorbs light, it gets a boost of energy.
   • It then passes this energy to tiny particles called electrons. This starts a chain reaction called the light-dependent reactions.
   • These reactions happen in special parts of chloroplasts and produce energy-rich molecules like ATP and NADPH.

3. Photosynthesis Equation:

   • The overall process of photosynthesis can be shown by this equation:
     $6CO_2 + 6H_2O + \text{light energy} \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2$
   • This means that carbon dioxide and water are turned into sugar (glucose) and oxygen, thanks to the energy chlorophyll captures.

4. Importance for the Earth:

   • Every year, photosynthesis creates around 100 billion metric tons of new plant material, mainly due to chlorophyll taking in sunlight.
   • This process also produces about 20% of the oxygen we breathe, showing just how crucial chlorophyll is for our planet’s health.

In short, chlorophyll is key for photosynthesis. It helps plants capture light, convert energy, and keep our environment balanced by producing food and oxygen.