When Light Hits a Pigment, What Happens to the Energy

Question

When light hits a pigment, what happens to the energy from a photon?
A) It is reflected from an electron of the pigment molecule.
B) It is transferred to an electron of the pigment molecule.
C) It is transmitted through an electron of the pigment molecule.
D) It is transmitted and reflected from an electron of the pigment molecule.

Accepted Answer

When light hits a pigment, the energy from a photon is transferred to an electron of the pigment molecule, elevating the electron to a higher energy state. This process is fundamental to how pigments absorb specific wavelengths of light, leading to their characteristic colors.