The experiments of van Helmont, Priestley, and Ingenhousz had all provided insight on the process of photosynthesis in plants. Each of their experiments showed an aspect of the process.

The experiment of van Helmont had shown that plants gain most of their mass from water. The experiment of Priestley had shown that plants release oxygen. Lastly, the experiment of Ingenhousz had shown that oxygen is released only when the plant is exposed to light.

Therefore, the results of their experiments has led to the conclusion that plants convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, as well as release oxygen in the presence of light. This conclusion explains the overall process of photosynthesis in plants.

Since the light coming from the sun is a form of energy, any compound which can absorb light, means that it can also absorb the energy from the light. Plants have pigments called chlorophyll which can absorb the light and transfer the energy into its next destination in the cell. Without this energy, photosynthesis would not be possible.

Chlorophyll is a pigment that is found in plants. It is used to capture light energy that drives the process of photosynthesis. However, it can only absorb certain wavelengths of light.

Chlorophyll absorbs the most energy from light in the red-orange and violet-blue wavelengths. On the other hand, it cannot absorb light in the green wavelength, but rather reflects it back.

Since chlorophyll reflects green light, this explains why most plants appear green. Variations in plant coloration are also caused by different types of pigments other than chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll can absorb the blue-violet and red regions of the visible spectrum when they photosynthesize using light. Since yellow is not the color in which a chlorophyll would normally absorb very well, there is only a little energy absorbed by the plants. Photosynthesis may occur and the plant will grow. However, its growth would not be optimal at all.