Lesson 5.2.1a

5.2.1a Chloroplasts and photosynthetic pigments Quiz: OCR Biology, Unit 6

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 5.2.1a, Chloroplasts and photosynthetic pigments: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Biology (H020), Unit 6: Energy for biological processes, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which part of a chloroplast is the site of the light-dependent stage of photosynthesis?

    • Intermembrane space
    • Outer envelope
    • Thylakoid membranes
    • Stroma

  2. What is the name of the fluid-filled matrix of a chloroplast in which the light-independent reactions take place?

    • Thylakoid lumen
    • Cytosol
    • Granum
    • Stroma

  3. What are stacks of thylakoid membranes in a chloroplast called?

    • Nucleoids
    • Cisternae
    • Cristae
    • Grana

  4. What is the primary photosynthetic pigment in plant chloroplasts?

    • Carotene
    • Chlorophyll a
    • Xanthophyll
    • Chlorophyll b

  5. Which accessory pigment absorbs light that chlorophyll a absorbs poorly and passes the energy on to chlorophyll a?

    • Haemoglobin
    • Melanin
    • Anthocyanin
    • Chlorophyll b

  6. In chromatography, Rf value is calculated by dividing spot distance by what?

    • Plate length
    • Origin distance
    • Solvent distance
    • Spot width

  7. What structure forms the double outer boundary of a chloroplast?

    • Tonoplast
    • Thylakoid membrane
    • Cell wall
    • Chloroplast envelope

  8. What name is given to the flattened membrane-bound sacs inside chloroplasts?

    • Thylakoids
    • Stroma
    • Grana
    • Cristae

  9. A chromatogram shows a pigment spot that moved 4.0 cm while the solvent front moved 10.0 cm. What is the Rf value?

    • 0.04
    • 2.50
    • 0.60
    • 0.40

  10. In chromatography, what does a higher Rf value indicate about pigment solubility?

    • Zero solubility
    • Equal solubility
    • Higher solubility
    • Lower solubility

  11. What colour does iodine solution turn on leaf areas lacking chloroplasts after illumination?

    • Dark purple
    • Bright red
    • Blue-black
    • Yellow-brown

  12. Which colour of light is absorbed least by chlorophyll a?

    • Violet
    • Blue
    • Green
    • Red

  13. What happens if the pigment origin line is placed below the solvent level?

    • Dissolves into solvent
    • Moves faster
    • Remains stationary
    • Bands widen

  14. What is the primary function of accessory photosynthetic pigments?

    • Broadening light absorption
    • Fixing carbon dioxide
    • Synthesising ATP
    • Splitting water molecules

  15. In a chromatogram the solvent front travels 12.0 cm. One pigment spot travels 3.0 cm and another travels 9.0 cm. Which pair of Rf values is correct?

    • 0.25 and 1.33
    • 0.33 and 0.75
    • 0.75 and 4.00
    • 0.25 and 0.75

  16. Why must the solvent level remain below the origin line in TLC?

    • Prevents plate drying
    • Stops solvent evaporation
    • Increases solvent speed
    • Prevents pigment dissolution

  17. How do grana increase the rate of light-dependent photosynthetic reactions?

    • Low pH maintenance
    • Large surface area
    • High enzyme concentration
    • Small stromal volume

  18. Why do plant leaves typically appear green to the human eye?

    • Green light reflected
    • Red light reflected
    • Green light absorbed
    • Blue light transmitted

  19. Where do accessory pigments transfer their absorbed light energy?

    • Primary reaction centre
    • Thylakoid lumen
    • Chloroplast envelope
    • Stroma enzymes

  20. Which structure is found in chloroplasts but not in mitochondria?

    • Circular DNA
    • 70S ribosomes
    • Thylakoid membranes
    • Double envelope

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