World Of Wonder

By: Christ Goncalves

Why do leaves change

color?

Leaves Color
The thing that gives leaves its own green color is the molecules that are
known as pigments. This pigment is called chlorophyll. Plants are able to
produce a lot of chlorophyll during the spring and the summer because it's
able to get a lot of food from the big amount of sunlight.

Color Change
Every Autumn (Fall) the leaves start to change and reveal nature's colorful
beauty. The reason why there is a mixture of the colors red, purple, orange,
and yellow in the fall is because of the leaves adjusting to the change from
the seasons summer to winter. Since it takes a lot of energy to produce
chlorophyll the leaves save their energy.

Cont.
The other pigments inside of leaves are carotenoids and anthocyanins .
Carotenoids are yellow and orange. Anthocyanins are pigments that are only
made in fall. These are the pigments that cause the change in color. They
protect the leaves from getting eaten and sunburned.

Vocabulary
Chlorophyll- a green pigment that's responsible for the absorption of light.
Anthocyanins- a blue, violet, or red pigment.
Carotenoids- a yellow or orange pigment that give autumn leaves color.
Pigment- the natural coloring matter of animal or plant tissue.

Sources
http://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/leaves/leaves.htm
https://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/pubs/leaves/leaves.shtm
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/questions/why-do-leaves-cha
nge-color