if you shine a green light on a plant where does the other light go?

About half is reflected. The rest is absorbed. Some of the absorbed light participates in photosynthesis reactions. Some just keeps the leaves warm.

When a green light is shone on a plant, several things can happen to the other light wavelengths. Light is made up of different colors with varying wavelengths, including red, blue, and green.

1. Absorption: The plant's pigments, specifically chlorophyll, absorb light energy in certain wavelengths for photosynthesis. In most plants, chlorophyll mainly absorbs red and blue light, while reflecting or transmitting green light. Therefore, green light is not efficiently absorbed by the plant, and most of it is reflected or transmitted back into the environment.

2. Reflection: A portion of the green light can be reflected off the surface of the plant. The plant's cells and tissues may have different surface properties that affect the reflection of light.

3. Transmission: Another portion of the green light can pass through the plant's leaves, stems, or other plant tissues without being absorbed or reflected. This transmitted light can continue its path and travel through the plant or the surrounding environment.

In summary, when green light is shone on a plant, a significant portion of it is reflected or transmitted, while only a small fraction is absorbed. This is due to the plant's ability to optimize its absorption of red and blue light for photosynthesis.