Photosynthesis allows plants to make their own food by capturing light energy using chlorophyll in their leaves. The process requires carbon dioxide, water, and minerals that are used to build carbohydrates like sugar. Plants use some sugar for energy but also store it. Leaves need carbon dioxide from the air, water from roots, and sunlight to start photosynthesis. Inside the leaf, chlorophyll in chloroplasts captures sunlight which is converted to chemical energy to produce oxygen and sugar from carbon dioxide and water. Leaves change colors in fall because lack of sunlight and water cause chlorophyll to disappear, revealing hidden colors.

1. What is Photosynthesis?

3. What does a leaf need to start the process of photosynthesis?

5. What occurs in the leaf during photosynthesis?

7. Why do leaves change colors in the fall? Once the season of fall starts, you will notice a change in the color of the leaves. The leaves no longer stay green, but turn red, brown, orange, yellow, just to name a few. There is a reason for this. During the fall there isn't enough sunlight or water for photosynthesis to take place. The green chlorophyll disappears because there isn't the sunlight to convert to chemical energy. This allows for the bright colors that have been hidden all summer by the green color to show through.