Leaves change color in the fall because they stop making chlorophyll. In spring and summer, leaves are green because of a special chemical called chlorophyll. But when the days get shorter and it gets cooler, the tree starts to prepare for winter. It stops sending food to the leaves, so the green chemical breaks down. Other colors that were hidden under the green, like yellow and red, start to show.
Examples
- A tree in a sunny garden turns bright red when the leaves stop getting food.
- Yellow leaves on a maple tree show up because green leaves are hiding them.
- Chlorophyll is like a green curtain that falls away, letting other colors come through.
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See also
- What Causes the Color of Leaves?
- How Do Animals Know When to Migrate?
- How Do Animals Migrate Across the World?
- How Do Animals Migrate in the Wild?
- How Can a Single Seed Grow into a Tree?
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