Why do Fall Leaves Change Color?
By: Lindsay Nass
Hi! My name is Victoria. My favorite season is fall. However, there are many changes that happen between summer and fall. The leaves will change color and fall to the ground. It starts to get dark earlier and the weather gets much colder. I have so many questions about my favorite season. I will have to go ask my teacher, Mrs. Adams. She will have all the answers!
Why do the leaves change color?
“Well that is a very interesting question Victoria!” says Mrs. Adams. “Well we all know that trees make their food through a process called photosynthesis . Photosynthesis requires sunlight. In fall, there is less daylight than in the spring or summer. This makes it hard to the trees to create their own food. The trees will cut off all supply to their leaves and live off the food they have stored up in the spring and summer. Leaves naturally have a yellow or orange color in them. However the green chlorophyll , made during photosynthesis, covers up all of the other colors. Since the trees have cut off the leaves, the chlorophyll will stop being made and the natural colors will shine through. The leaves can also turn red and brown due to excess food left in the leaves after they are cut off from the tree.”
What makes the leaves fall to the ground?
“Victoria, this is another great question!” Mrs. Adam exclaims. “This question is very similar to the previous question but it has a slightly different answer. To answer this question, we need to think about the structure of the leaves. Leaves are very tender and easy to pull apart. They would not last very long in the harsh conditions of winter, like the tough branches. Therefore the trees protect themselves from dying, by cutting off all supply to the leaves and letting them fall.”
Why don’t pine trees lose their needles?
“Well, let us think about the structure of the pine needles. Are they similar to leaves?” questions Mrs. Adams.
“No,” I answer, “They are very small and thin. They also have a waxy feel to them.”
“That is correct! The pine needles have a heavy wax coating. This coating allows liquid to flow through the needles without freezing. Therefore, the pine trees can keep their needles attached all year round,” Mrs. Adam explains.
Why does it get dark so early?
“So Victoria, we are now moving away from trees and on to the Earth,” says Mrs. Adams. “The Earth is titled on an axis. Since we live in the Northern Hemisphere , we are tilted away from sun during the fall and winter months. As the earth rotates during the day, we are turned away from the sun for a longer period of time. Then we are left with a longer period of darkness.”
Why does it get so cold?
“Victoria, this question goes along perfectly with previous question,” explains Mrs. Adams. “Since we are on the axis titled away from the sun, we do not get a direct path of sunlight. This affects the temperature and makes it colder during the fall and winter months.”
Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?
“Thanksgiving is the only main holiday during fall,” says Mrs. Adams. “This holiday was started by the Pilgrims who were the first to live in the current United States. They had just survived through their first harsh winter. They took the time to be thankful to God for helping them to live. Today, we celebrate Thanksgiving as a time to be thankful for everything that we have in our life.”
Why is Fall sometimes called Autumn?
“Autumn is the same thing as Fall,” explains Mrs. Adams. “It is just 12 am being midnight for some people or 12 pm being noon. It is just two different names for the exact same thing.”
My teacher is so great! She helped me learn all of this new information about Fall. I cannot wait to go home to share it with my family and friends!
