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Multiple Choice
Which of the following functional groups is responsible for the yellow-orange pigment in skin known as carotenoids?
A
Carboxylic acid
B
Alcohol
C
Ketone
D
Alkene
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that carotenoids are a class of pigments found in plants and are responsible for the yellow, orange, and red colors in many fruits and vegetables.
Recognize that the structure of carotenoids is characterized by a long chain of conjugated double bonds, which are a series of alternating single and double bonds.
Recall that the presence of conjugated double bonds in a molecule is a feature of alkenes, which are hydrocarbons containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond.
Consider that the conjugated system of double bonds in carotenoids allows them to absorb light in the visible spectrum, which is why they appear colored.
Conclude that the functional group responsible for the color in carotenoids is the alkene group, due to the presence of these conjugated double bonds.