WHY DO LEAVES CHANGE COLORS IN THE FALL?

— Hannah, 8, NY

Believe it or not, those pretty colors have been in the leaves all along! During the sunnier seasons of spring and summer, trees create their own food using a process called photosynthesis and a green substance named chlorophyll, which is why leaves appear green in warmer months. However, in the fall and winter, trees are unable to photosynthesize because of a lack of sunlight, so they stop making chlorophyll. As the last of the chlorophyll gets used up, the green color disappears from the leaves and the vibrant red, orange and yellow colors start to appear.