If available, use an extract from red or orange peppers to plot an absorption spectrum for carotenoids. What colors of light are absorbed by carotenoids? What is the significance of this?

Answer 1

Hi Louis,

Usually, the colors that we see are those that are being emitted by the material. A rule of thumb with color is that the color that is emitted is the complementary color of that one that is absorbed. If you have a carotenoid that comes from red peppers, that means the absorption spectrum will be around the wavelength corresponding to green; if it comes from orange peppers, blue. The reasoning for this is that the light that isn't absorbed is being reflected and captured by your eye, thus being the light (color) you perceive. Hope this answers your question.