Which pigments did Tsvet separate?

Which pigments did Tsvet separate?

• A. Chlorophyll and carotene.
• B. Chlorophylls and carotenoids.
• C. Carotene and xanthophyll.
• D. Xanthophyll and chlorophyllin.

Answer: (B)

Tsvet’s work showed that plant pigments fall into two broad groups that can be separated by chromatography: chlorophylls and carotenoids. Chlorophylls give the green color, while carotenoids (including carotenes and xanthophylls) give yellow to orange hues. In his separation, the extract produced distinct pigment bands corresponding to these two classes, illustrating that leaves contain both chlorophylls and carotenoids that can be separated based on their different affinities for the adsorbent and solvent. So the pigments separated by Tsvet are chlorophylls and carotenoids, reflecting the two main pigment classes in plants.

Tsvet’s work showed that plant pigments fall into two broad groups that can be separated by chromatography: chlorophylls and carotenoids. Chlorophylls give the green color, while carotenoids (including carotenes and xanthophylls) give yellow to orange hues. In his separation, the extract produced distinct pigment bands corresponding to these two classes, illustrating that leaves contain both chlorophylls and carotenoids that can be separated based on their different affinities for the adsorbent and solvent.

So the pigments separated by Tsvet are chlorophylls and carotenoids, reflecting the two main pigment classes in plants.