Which organelle captures light energy for photosynthesis in plant cells?

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

Answer: (D)

Chloroplasts are the organelles that capture light energy for photosynthesis. They contain chlorophyll, the light-absorbing pigment, which sits in the thylakoid membranes to harvest light energy. This energy drives the light-dependent reactions, producing ATP and NADPH, which then power the Calvin cycle in the surrounding stroma to convert carbon dioxide into sugars. In contrast, mitochondria generate ATP from sugar through cellular respiration, not from light. The nucleus houses genetic material and directs cell activities, while ribosomes build proteins. So the structure specialized for turning light into usable chemical energy in plant cells is the chloroplast.