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Concept
Photobiology
Summary
Photobiology is the scientific study of the beneficial and harmful interactions of light (technically, non-ionizing radiation) in living organisms. The field includes the study of photophysics, photochemistry, photosynthesis, photomorphogenesis, visual processing, circadian rhythms, photomovement, bioluminescence, and ultraviolet radiation effects.
The division between ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation is typically considered to be a photon energy greater than 10 eV, which approximately corresponds to both the first ionization energy of oxygen, and the ionization energy of hydrogen at about 14 eV.
When photons come into contact with molecules, these molecules can absorb the energy in photons and become excited. Then they can react with molecules around them and stimulate "photochemical" and "photophysical" changes of molecular structures.
This area of Photobiology focuses on the physical interactions of light and matter. When molecules absorb photons that matches their energy requirements they promote a valence electron from a ground state to an excited state and they become a lot more reactive. This is an extremely fast process, but very important for different processes.
This area of Photobiology studies the reactivity of a molecule when it absorbs energy that comes from light. It also studies what happens with this energy, it could be given off as heat or fluorescence so the molecule goes back to ground state.
There are 3 basic laws of photochemistry:
- First Law of Photochemistry: This law explains that in order for photochemistry to happen, light has to be absorbed.
- Second Law of Photochemistry: This law explains that only one molecule will be activated by each photon that is absorbed.
- Bunsen-Roscoe Law of Reciprosity: This law explains that the energy in the final products of a photochemical reaction will be directly proportional to the total energy that was initially absorbed by the system. Plant growth and development is highly dependent on light.
Official source
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