Biology · Photosynthesis and Plant Physiology
T.W. Engelmann's experiment utilized a prism to split light and an aerobic bacterium to map O2 evolution along the spectrum. If the experiment were repeated using a species of anoxygenic purple sulfur bacteria instead of the green alga Cladophora, what would be the most likely outcome observed, and why?
Verified Solution4 OptionsUpdated: October 2026👁️1 View
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- 1The bacteria would accumulate most heavily in the green and yellow regions, as the purple pigment absorbs complementary wavelengths.
- 2The bacteria would show little to no specific accumulation along the spectrum because purple sulfur bacteria undergo anoxygenic photosynthesis and do not release O2.✓
- 3The bacteria would accumulate evenly across the entire spectrum because purple sulfur bacteria use H2S, which is highly oxidizable and does not require specific wavelengths of light.
- 4The bacteria would still accumulate only in the blue and red regions because the O2 evolution mechanism is conserved across all photosynthetic organisms.
Correct answer
The bacteria would show little to no specific accumulation along the spectrum because purple sulfur bacteria undergo anoxygenic photosynthesis and do not release O2.
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