How light can vaporize water without the need for heat
news.mit.edu
MIT researchers discovered that light can cause evaporation of water from a surface without the need for heat. This “photomolecular effect” could be important for understanding climate change and for improving some industrial processes.
  • diykeyboards@lemmy.world
    0·
    5 months ago

    Makes me wonder if evolution in plants selected green coloration to minimize water loss. Does chlorophyll have to be green? It absorbs light to either side of the spectrum but not green?

    • DigitalMus@feddit.dk
      0·
      5 months ago

      The sun’s spectrum at the earth surface peaks in the green color range, which should make green the most efficient choice. Although, I wonder why they have to absorb only a single or a narrow band of color.

      • FooBarrington@lemmy.world
        0·
        5 months ago

        Producing multiple pigments to absorb more colours is very expensive, and the chemical reactions only take a certain amount of energy, anything beyond is converted into heat (which is bad for water retention).