Question

How are plant pigments like teammates on a sports team?

Answer 1

Just like individual players in a sports team, every photosynthetic pigments in a plant has their role in absorbing wavelength to be used in making food.
Chlorophyll - absorbs yellow and blue wavelength and reflects green
Carotenoids - they are accessory pigments and function as light-harvesting pigment
Phycobilins - absorb yellow, green, orange and red light.

Answer 2

Answer:

There are four types of pigments found in plants; chlorophyll, carotenoids, flavonoids, and betalains.

Like players of a sports team play in the synchronized way in order to achieve a common goal of winning a tournament, pigments of a plant also play in a synchronized way to achieve a common goal.

For example, chlorophyll and carotenoids play together to utilize light energy of the sun for the process of photosynthesis.

Chlorophyll is major pigment which absorbs the yellow and blue wavelength of the light. Carotenoids serve as the accessory pigments which help in absorbing other wavelengths of light. In addition, they protect chlorophyll from photooxidative damage.

Similarly, flavonoids and betalains are water-soluble pigments which perform a common function of providing color to the parts of plants such as leaves, flowers, stem et cetera. It would help in insect pollination by attracting different types of insects.