In which cell organelle is chlorophyll found?

• A. Mitochondrion
• B. Nucleus
• C. Chloroplast
• D. Ribosome

Answer: (C)

Chlorophyll is the light-absorbing pigment that drives photosynthesis, so it must be located where light energy is captured and converted into chemical energy. In plant cells and many algae, that place is the chloroplast. Within chloroplasts, chlorophyll is embedded in the thylakoid membranes of the grana, forming part of the photosystems that capture light and fuel the electron transport chain. This is different from mitochondria, the site of respiration that generates ATP; the nucleus, which houses genetic material; and ribosomes, which synthesize proteins. So chlorophyll is found in chloroplasts.