Chlorophyll, the substance that makes plants green, is a prime example of a pigment.
Understanding Pigments
A pigment is a naturally occurring or manufactured substance that provides color to other materials. It works by absorbing certain wavelengths of light and reflecting others. The reflected wavelengths determine the color we see. Pigments are generally insoluble in water, meaning they don't easily dissolve.
Several references highlight this definition and provide further examples. For instance, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines pigment as "a substance that imparts black or white or a color to other materials". https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pigment This aligns with the description of chlorophyll imparting green color to leaves, as noted in one of the provided texts. [Reference: A pigment is a natural colouring matter found in plant or animal cells or tissues. It is capable of changing the colour of reflected or transmitted light and it does so via wavelength-selective absorption. For example, the presence of a pigment chlorophyll imparts a green colour to the leaves of plants.]
Other examples of pigments include:
- Natural Indigo: Obtained from the woad plant. [Reference: Some examples of natural organic pigments include, natural indigo pigment which is obtained from the woad plant and chlorophyll which ...]
- Various pigments in paints: Many paints use pigments to achieve different colors, including historically used pigments like Naples Yellow. [Reference: As an example, here are the pigments used in a selection of paints labelled 'Naples Yellow', a historical toxic pigment that is often recreated ...]
It's important to note that pigments differ from dyes. While both provide color, dyes are soluble and penetrate the material they color, whereas pigments remain on the surface. [Reference: Pigment is an intensely colored molecule that often lends color to other materials, and is either partially or completely insoluble in water. Pigments are ...]
