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The Antenna Complex

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Plants and other photosynthetic organisms comprise pigments capable of absorption of direct sunlight. These pigments are present in the reaction center - the main site of photochemical reactions as well as in the antenna complex. Under average light conditions, the rate at which reaction center pigments absorb light is far below the electron transport chain's capacity. As a result, the reaction center alone cannot provide enough energy to drive photosynthesis. The photosynthetic efficiency can...

Photosystems

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Anatomy of Chloroplasts

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Photosystem II

Photosystem II

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Concentration and Rate Law

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The rate of a reaction is affected by the concentrations of reactants. Rate laws (differential rate laws) or rate equations are mathematical expressions describing the relationship between the rate of a chemical reaction and the concentration of its reactants.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Evaluation of Photosynthetic Behaviors by Simultaneous Measurements of Leaf Reflectance and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analyses

Evaluation of Photosynthetic Behaviors by Simultaneous Measurements of Leaf Reflectance and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analyses

Published on: August 9, 2019

THE RELATION BETWEEN MAXIMUM RATE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND CONCENTRATION OF CHLOROPHYLL.

¹Laboratory of General Physiology, Harvard University, Cambridge.

The Journal of General Physiology

|October 30, 2009

Summary

This study establishes a clear link between chlorophyll content and photosynthesis rates in Chlorella vulgaris. By controlling variables, researchers found maximum photosynthesis smoothly increases with chlorophyll levels.

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Area of Science:

Plant physiology
Biochemistry
Photosynthesis research

Background:

Previous studies by Willstätter and Stoll found no clear relationship between chlorophyll and photosynthesis.
Limitations in prior research were due to using incomparable leaf materials with varying chlorophyll.
A need existed for controlled experiments to accurately assess chlorophyll's impact on photosynthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between chlorophyll content and the rate of photosynthesis.
To develop a method for altering chlorophyll content in Chlorella vulgaris while keeping other factors constant.
To determine if a regular, functional relationship exists between chlorophyll concentration and photosynthetic efficiency.

Main Methods:

Developed a method to vary chlorophyll content per unit volume in Chlorella vulgaris cells.
Maintained crucial factors such as cell volume and environmental conditions constant during experiments.
Measured the rate of photosynthesis under controlled conditions with varying chlorophyll levels.

Main Results:

Demonstrated a method to successfully modify chlorophyll content in Chlorella vulgaris.
Observed that the maximum rate of photosynthesis is a smooth, continuous function of chlorophyll content.
Established a quantifiable relationship between chlorophyll concentration and photosynthetic capacity.

Conclusions:

The study successfully identified a direct, functional relationship between chlorophyll content and photosynthesis rate.
Controlled experiments with Chlorella vulgaris overcome limitations of previous research.
Findings provide a basis for understanding photosynthetic efficiency and chlorophyll's role.