materials:
2 or 3 green leaves from the same
tree
Rubbing alcohol
Small jar
Plastic baggie (or plastic wrap)
Paper coffee filter
Plastic knife or spoon
Small shallow bowl
Hot tap water
Instructions:
1. Tear or chop the leaves into tiny
pieces and put them in the jar.
2. Pour rubbing alcohol over the
leaves until they are just covered.
3. Use a plastic knife or spoon to
mash and stir the leaves into the
rubbing alcohol until the alcohol
turns slightly green. Really mash it
good for the best results. (NOTE:
Rubbing alcohol can be harmful. Use
in a well-ventilated area, and avoid
contact with skin.)
4. Cover the jar with the baggie or
plastic wrap and place it in a small
bowl and pour about an inch of
hot water into the bowl to heat
the jar.
5. Keep the jar in the water for at
least 30 minutes, swishing the jar
about every 5 or 10 minutes to
stir the leaves a bit. The alcohol
should be a very dark green (leave
longer if needed). If you can,
wait even 45 minutes or an hour.
Replace the hot water if it cools
off.
6. Remove the jar from the water
bowl and uncover it. Cut a strip in
the coffee filter so that one end
of the strip can reach the rubbing
alcohol. You can tape it to the
edge of the jar.
7. After 30-90 minutes the liquid
will travel up the coffee filter and
the colors will separate as the
alcohol evaporates from the coffee
filter. Different colors will travel
different distances up the paper as
the alcohol evaporates. The green
leaves may show yellow, orange,
and red.
how does it work?
In this science experiment the
rubbing alcohol and energy (hot water)
separates the colors. That allows you
to see the colors hidden in the leaves.
Why do leaves
sources: www.sciencefun.org,
www.howwelearn.com
By Karen Rice
Official Kids Mag
Fall is a great time to jump in a pile of
leaves, but what's the science behind why
they change colors and fall off the trees?
Leaves contain chlorophyll, which makes
them green and makes photosynthesis
possible. Photosynthesis is the process that
lets plants use sunlight to make energy. But
as the days get shorter and the nights get
longer in the fall, trees get less sunlight and
less water. They prepare for winter and
the next growing season by blocking the
flow of chlorophyll to the leaves.
The green chlorophyll and is so dominant
that it hides all the other colors in the
leaves. But in the fall, the fading green
chlorophyll allows the other colors to
finally shine through. So we see the
beautiful yellows, oranges, reds and
purples hidden in the leaves.
To figure out what color a leaf would be
without the dominant chlorophyll color,
we can see the colors hidden in leaves by
doing this science experiment.
1 4 7
chaNge color?
12 • NoVember 2020 • officialKidsmag.com
Name: Official Kids activity strip
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