Download Have you ever jumped into a pile of leaves in the fall? Even if you

Have you ever jumped into a pile of leaves in
the fall? Even if you haven't, you probably
know that leaves fall off some trees when the
weather turns cool. You may also know that
these leaves are not bright green when they
fall. Many leaves don't look the same in the
fall as they do in the summer.
During the summer, the leaves on trees and
most other plants are green. These leaves
contain chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a green
substance that is important to plants. Leaves
are green because they have chlorophyll in
their cells.
Did you ever see a plant hunting for food? It
would be very unusual if you did. Plants use
the energy in sunlight to make their own
food. This process is called photosynthesis.
Plants need chlorophyll to soak up sunlight
and make their own food. So, plants can only
make food while their leaves are green.
In the fall, the weather turns cool and there is
less sunlight. The leaves on many trees lose
their green color because the chlorophyll in
them disappears. Without chlorophyll, the
leaves show other colors that are usually
hidden. Also, without chlorophyll, the leaves
can no longer make food. These leaves soon
fall off the tree.
With its leaves gone, the tree rests for the
winter. It lives off food it has stored. In the
spring, new green leaves grow on the tree.
These leaves have chlorophyll in their cells.
Once again, photosynthesis takes place in the
tree's leaves so the tree can make its own
food.