What color of light do chlorophyll molecules primarily absorb?

Chlorophyll molecules primarily absorb light in the blue and red regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This absorption is crucial for photosynthesis, as chlorophyll uses the energy from absorbed light to drive the process of converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. Blue light has a short wavelength and high energy, which is effective in exciting electrons in chlorophyll. Red light, while lower in energy, is also effective and complements the absorption spectrum since it aligns with the energy needs of the photosynthetic process.

The reason other color options do not fit is that chlorophyll reflects green light, which is why plants appear green. It does not effectively absorb yellow light either, limiting its effectiveness in the photosynthetic process. Ultraviolet and infrared light fall outside the wavelengths utilized in photosynthesis, as they either have too much energy (ultraviolet) or not enough (infrared) to facilitate the energy transfer necessary for producing organic molecules.