nature of pigments

Pigments are substances that give color to things by absorbing and reflecting specific wavelengths of light. They are made up of molecules that interact with light, determining whether an object appears red, blue, green, or another color. For example, chlorophyll in plants absorbs mainly blue and red light, making leaves appear green by reflecting green light. Pigments can be natural, like those in plants and animals, or synthetic, created for art, textiles, and printing. Their chemical structure influences their color and how they respond to light, making pigments fundamental to how we perceive color in the world around us.