Trees: Why So Colorful?
Clip: Special | 1m 4sVideo has Closed Captions
Why do leaves have different colors?
Why do leaves of some trees turn such beautiful colors in the fall? It starts with how trees make their food.
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Science Trek is a local public television program presented by IdahoPTV
Major funding for Science Trek is made possible by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, with additional funding provided by the Idaho National Laboratory, and by contributions to the Friends of Idaho Public Television from viewers like you, thank you.
Trees: Why So Colorful?
Clip: Special | 1m 4sVideo has Closed Captions
Why do leaves of some trees turn such beautiful colors in the fall? It starts with how trees make their food.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Science Trek
Science Trek is a place where parents, kids, and educators can watch short, educational videos on a variety of science topics. Every Monday Science Trek releases a new video that introduces children to math, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career potentials in a fun, informative way.[MUSIC] JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, HOST: Just like your skin or hair, tree leaves get their colors from pigments.
The pigment that makes tree leaves green is called chlorophyll.
The chlorophyll molecules in plants use sunshine, water, and carbon dioxide to make food.
When there's lots of sun in the spring and summer, trees' leaves make lots of chlorophyll and stay green.
But in the fall, there's less sunlight, and it isn't as warm, so plants stop making new chlorophyll and reabsorb the remaining, saving it for next spring.
And without chlorophyll, other pigments can show through.
Carotenoid pigments create yellow and orange leaves.
Anthocyanin pigments cause red, pink, or purple colors.
And all these different pigments give us those beautifully colored leaves.
Of course, this is for deciduous trees.
The needles or leaves of most pine or conifer trees stay green year-round.
For more information about trees, check out the Science Trek website.
You'll find it at science trek dot org
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Science Trek is a local public television program presented by IdahoPTV
Major funding for Science Trek is made possible by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, with additional funding provided by the Idaho National Laboratory, and by contributions to the Friends of Idaho Public Television from viewers like you, thank you.