Statement I: When a piece of brick lying on grass for a number of days

Statement I: When a piece of brick lying on grass for a number of days is removed, the covered part of the grass appears pale.
Statement II: Synthesis of chlorophyll, which gives green pigment, occurs in presence of sunlight.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2013
Both statements are individually true, and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I.
– Statement I describes an observed phenomenon: grass covered by an opaque object (like a brick) becomes pale. This is a common observation.
– Statement II provides a scientific fact: Chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for the green color in plants, requires sunlight for its synthesis. This process is part of photosynthesis.
– The paleness of the grass (loss of green color) occurs because the brick blocks sunlight, preventing the grass from synthesizing chlorophyll. Without chlorophyll, the green pigment is absent or significantly reduced. Therefore, Statement II directly explains why Statement I occurs.
– This phenomenon is an example of etiolation, a process where plants grow in the absence of light, resulting in pale, elongated stems and small leaves due to lack of chlorophyll development.