FAQ on Photosynthesis

What is a light harvesting complex (LHC)?
A1.  LHC  is a protein complex containing photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll and
 carotenoids) which surrounds a reaction centre (see Fig 24, pg 23 of lecture notes).
 The photosynthetic pigments are important in light-harvesting complexes as they
 capture the light energy and transfer it via resonance energy transfer to the
 reaction centre of the photosystem. More details will be covered in the lecture
 scheduled on 22 Jan 2010 (Fri).  

Q2. What is chlorosis?
A2.   Chlorosis is a condition in leaves whereby the leaves  produce no or little
chlorophyll. In the context of the lecture, chlorosis results when there is a  deficiency
of magnesium, which is integral in the structure of chlorophyll (Fig 10, pg 14 of
lecture notes). In fact, chlorosis is derived from  the word Chloris or from the Greek
Khloros meaning "greenish-yellow," "pale green," "pale," "pallid" or "fresh". Examples
of how leaves look like when they are suffering from chlorosis are shown as follows: