rubbing alcohol leaf experiment

Science Fun

Changing of the Leaves

• 3 green leaves from the same tree
• Rubbing alcohol
• 1 glass jar
• Plastic wrap
• Paper Strip from a coffee filter
• Small bowl with hot water in it

Instructions:

• Break the all the leaves into tiny pieces and put them in the jar.
• Pour rubbing alcohol over the leaves until they are just covered.
• Mash and stir the leaves into the rubbing alcohol until the rubbing alcohol turns slightly green.
• Cover the jar with plastic wrap.
• Put the jar in a bowl of hot water for 50 minutes. Gently swish the jar every 10 minutes to stir up the leaves.
• Take plastic wrap off and place paper coffee filter strip into rubbing alcohol. Make sure just one end of the strip is in the alcohol and the other end is near the top of the jar.
• Let the paper strip sit in jar for an hour. Then make your observations.

VIDEO COMING SOON BUT YOU CAN STILL ENJOY THESE AWESOME EXPERIMENTS!

How it Works:

In this science experiment we used the rubbing alcohol and energy (hot water) to separate the colours. You likely saw green, and depending on your leaf type, maybe red, yellow, or orange. Chlorophyll gives leaves their green colour and is so dominant it hides the other colours in the leaves. But in the fall, chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down allowing the other colours to finally shine through and show their beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges.

Extra Experiments:

• How do the results change if you leave the leaves in the rubbing alcohol for an hour and a half instead of 50 minutes?
• How do the results change if you start with leaves that no longer are green?
• How do the results change if you use needles from an evergreen tree?

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Embrace the gorgeous colour of fall this year by conducting a science experiment that shows the colours leaves turn in the fall and explore the science behind this gorgeous transformation that occurs every autumn. We love a simple science experiment and this Leaf Lab is perfect for fall as we explore the big question: Why do leaves change color? Kids from preschool to high school will enjoy this easy and fun Fall science experiment!

Fall Science Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall?

What you will discover in this article!

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I have a love-hate relationship with fall. I love the gorgeous colours and the crispness of the air. And don’t forget all the amazing freshly harvested fruits and vegetables.

But there is also the dread that means winter is coming, and when you live in a place with brutally cold temperatures and snow up to 8 months of the year, it makes the signs of it’s arrival, a little panic inducing.

It’s like a warning sign… GET OUTSIDE NOW!

That’s what makes this Fall Science Experiment so perfect. Not only do you get to learn something fascinating about nature, like exploring how leaves change color, but you also get to spend some time outside!

I highly recommend doing this experiment just as the leaves start changing, while some are still green, and others are at various stages of changing colours.

LEARNING EXTENSIONS EXPLORE MORE FALL STEM ACTIVITIES

Leaf Science Chromatography Experiment

When I first looked into this activity, I came across some sites claiming that this activity would reveal what colours the leaves turn in the fall. After doing a few tests we knew that claim was not accurate. Instead, what this activity does is separate out the active colours in the leaves. By active, we mean the colours need to be at least a little bit visible in the leaf. That means for the best results, try picking handfuls of leaves from the same tree but that are at different stages of changing colours. We have a Mountain Ash that gave us leaves in 4 different colour groupings.

Or you can pick different leaves, from different trees, but don’t expect colours to magically appear that are not visible already in the leaf with this simple science approach.

For a more advanced type of Leaf Chromatography experiment for your middle school and high school students, check out this Leaf Lab . We haven’t done this technique but it looks like it might provide a slightly different result from this more simple science, Leaf Chromatography experiment. And may reveal more of the hidden colour pigments in the leaves.

Our Experimental Method

With this experiment we started by doing the steps with leaves from different trees on our property. These are trees we know very well. Beloved trees we have watched move for the seasons for at least a decade. So we are very familiar with their fall colours.

That’s how we discovered that this experiment doesn’t show what colour the leaves will turn in the fall, and therefore doesn’t really answer our big question: Why do leaves change color? Our tree that we know turns a gorgeous red in the fall, did not show any red at all in the chromatography.

But interestingly, our purple leaf tree, that starts in the spring with green leaves, that turn purple in summer, then orange/yellow in fall, gave us the most dynamic chromatography. We even made a cool heart chromatography!

So our next step in the study we went to our Mountain Ash tree. A HUGE very loved, majestic part of our yard. It also possesses the most amazing array of colours as it enters fall. Right now it has green, yellow-green, purple-green and a gorgeous bright berry red. So many beautiful leaf colours in one massive tree!

Then we redid the experiment. If it was true that the experiment would reveal what colours would appear in the fall, then all the chromatography should have revealed the same colours since the leaves were all from the same tree, picked at the same time, just at different stages of turning to the fall colours.

It turns out that wasn’t the case at all. It was only the active colours that were revealed. Which was a great finding! Which turned this Leaf Lab into an amazing journey of discovery and the scientific method .

To do this fall leaf experiment you will need:

Leaves ! See tips above for the best leaf selection Jars with lids (or plastic wrap will work if you don’t have lids) Rubbing Alcohol Butter knife (or other item that can “mash leaves”) Large bowl or dish that fits the jars Hot water Coffee filters Plates Scissors

Time needed:  2 hours and 30 minutes

Reveal the secret colours of leaves with this science experiment.

Start by heading outside and collecting leaves. I used small bags to keep my leaves organized. In total we did 6 different types of leaves. You want to gather 4 to 6 leaves of each type. Try and get leaves that are at different stages of turning colour for the best results.

Set out one jar for each type of leaf you collected. Into each jar start ripping up one type of leaf. You want to tear the leaves up nice and small. Really tear it up!

Add just enough rubbing alcohol to cover the leaves, then using a knife or other utensil mash up the leaves into the alcohol even more. You should start to see the rubbing alcohol turning a bit green.

Set the jars in a large dish or bowls. Add hot water to the bowl or dish and cover the jars with lids or plastic wrap.

Now let them sit for approximately one hour. Give the jars a little swish every once in a while to help release the chlorophyll. Your alcohol should be turning a nice green. You can also refresh the hot water if it cools too much.

Cut a coffee filter into quarters and place on a plate. Using a teaspoon or dropper add a couple of drops of the liquid to the tip of the filter.

Wait approximately 30 min to one hour to see how the colours move up the filter paper and separate. Pretty cool!

What happens if you leave it in the solution even longer? Maybe overnight? The colours will become more bold and larger, making the colours easier to see.

The Science Of Leaf Color Changes In Fall

Let’s dig into the big question: Why do leaves change color?

Why are Leaves Green?

Leaves, like all green plants, contain Chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the molecule that traps the energy of the sun and is called a photoreceptor. It is found in the chloroplasts of green plants, and is what makes green plants, green. It is also a key part of photosynthesis which is what allows plant to get energy from sunlight.

Leaf Coloring

Leaves are actually more colours than just green but Chlorophyll is so dominant most of the summer that its green colour covers up all the other natural colours in the leaves. We can separate the colours of a leaf by doing this leaf chromatography science experiment.

We have done chromatography experiments before, check out our gorgeous Circuit Chromatography Flowers that light up!

In this science experiment we used rubbing alcohol and two types of energy to separate the colours. We used mechanical energy by ripping up the leaves and mashing them, plus heat energy from the hot water.

Look closely at the rubbing alcohol, do you see any other colours in there?

Most commonly you will see green, but depending on the type of leaf you may also see purple, red, yellow, or orange.

What about Purple Leaves?

First a bit of science behind purple leaves. Some plants have a lot of compounds called anthrocyanins which can be red or purple in color. If a plant has enough anthrocyanins, the purple will block out the green color even though the chlorophyll is still there. With this particular type of tree we see that in action because the leaves are green in the spring and turn purple for the summer.

During our walk about collecting leaves we came upon a tree with purple leaves. These trees are quite common around here and we were excited to see how it performed in this experiment.

It was interesting to note that the rubbing alcohol turned green initially, then became purple over time.

Another cool fact about purple leaves, the purple colour protects the leaves from sun damage. It’s like tree sunscreen! So cool!

Leaf Coloring Vocabulary Words

Yellow leaves have pigments called xanthophyll .

Carotenoids are the pigment in orange leaves.

And, as we just learned, anthocyanins , give leaves intense red and purple colouring.

Plus of course we have chlorophyll which gives leaves their green colour.

When looking at your chromatography, each colour in your papers is created by those molecules.

What Makes Leaves Change Color?

OK, time for the big question… what makes leaves change colour ? As we know, Chlorophyll gives leaves their green colour and is so dominant that it hides the other colours in the leaves during the spring and summer. But in the fall, chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down, finally allowing the it’s other natural colours to have their moment in the sun!

The beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges might be short lived before the leaves fall to the ground. This year, think about the amazing science behind those changing colours as the trees around you put on their colourful fall displays.

Leaf Craft Ideas

For more crafting and art ideas using leaves , check out this incredible resource.

5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids

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Science Experiment: Why Do Leaves Change Color?

September 6, 2023 by Sarah 71 Comments

Science experiments for kids are big in our home. My kids love them—and so do I. While teaching Kindergarten, I made science experiments a priority. Kids are so naturally curious about the world around them, and science experiments bring this learning fully to life!

This is my ABSOLUTE favorite science experiment of all time—oh yes, I promise it is THAT GOOD!

I even included this science experiment in Kindergarten at Home , my curriculum for children ages 4 to 6. Kindergarten at Home consists of 18 units, each spanning two weeks. This science experiment is part of the unit all about leaves! Your little one will make leaf art, prepare a fresh salad with you in the kitchen, practice their literacy skills through some fun leaf activities, and so much more.

Take a peek inside! Check out Kindergarten at Home right here:  https://shop.howweelearn.com/pages/kindergarten-at-home

Why Do Leaves Change Color?

When asked by my eldest daughter at age 3 (don’t ask me how many years ago that was!), “Why do leaves change color?” I had no answer.

I looked it up and found it too complicated for a 3-year-old, but I explained the best I could and let it be.

I was in Teacher’s College at the time, and wouldn’t you know, a few weeks later, we learned about—and did—a science experiment for kids about leaves changing color!  

It made things so much clearer that I immediately did the experiment with Madeline. And my future Kindergarten classes. And my future children. Multiple times. Yep, it really is that good!

Before we get started, be sure to download your Free Printable with step-by-step instructions for this fascinating Why Do Leaves Change Color? Science Experiment:

Please keep in mind this is my (limited) understanding, having done the experiment and some research in that class. I’d love to share it with you. So…

The Science Experiment!

Leaves contain chlorophyll. Chlorophyll makes the leaves green and is so dominant that it covers up all the other colors in the leaves. To figure out what color a leaf would be without the dominant chlorophyll color, we can separate the colors by doing this science experiment.

This experiment is very simple, and you likely already have everything you need!

• three leaves from the same tree
• rubbing alcohol
• plastic baggie or plastic wrap
• paper coffee filter
• small bowl or pan
• scissors (optional to cut the coffee filter)
• elastics (optional to hold the plastic wrap in place)
• tape (optional to hold coffee filter in place)

1. Have your child break the leaves into tiny pieces and put them in the jar. We decided to try leaves from two different trees to see how the results compare (being careful to keep each pile of leaves separate).

2. Pour rubbing alcohol over the leaves until they are just covered. A feline supervisor is optional, but highly encouraged.

3. Mash and stir the leaves into the rubbing alcohol until the alcohol turns slightly green. Really give it a good mashing—this is key. We used a plastic spoon so we could really mush and poke the leaves without worrying about accidentally breaking the jar.

4. Cover the jar with a baggie or plastic wrap. We used a rubber band to help hold it in place. Place the jar in a bowl and pour hot water into the bowl.

5. Leave the jar in the hot water for at least 30 minutes, occasionally swishing the jar to stir the leaves. The alcohol should be a dark green (leave longer if needed). If you can resist, wait 45 minutes or even an hour. We found the color difference in the rubbing alcohol at this stage interesting! Is the chlorophyll perhaps stronger in the leaves on the right?

6. Cut a strip from the coffee filter so it can reach the rubbing alcohol. Place it in the jar, and secure it with a small piece of tape at the top edge if needed.

7. The liquid will travel up the coffee filter, and the colors will separate as the alcohol evaporates off the coffee filter. Let this happen for about an hour for the full effect.

There was definitely a difference between the two types of leaves we chose! While it was difficult to capture in the photo, we could see a lot of orange-red tones in the coffee filter strip on the left, and more yellow tones in the one on the right. We also noticed that the size of the orange-red tinge in the strip on the left was larger than the yellow tinge in the strip on the right.

And sure enough, the leaves on the left turn an orange-red shade in the fall, and the leaves on the right turn yellow!

So… Why Do Leaves Change Color?

In this science experiment, we used rubbing alcohol and energy (hot water) to separate the colors. You likely saw green and, depending on your leaf type, maybe red, yellow, or orange.

As we know, chlorophyll gives leaves their green color and is so dominant it hides the other colors in the leaves. But in the fall, chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down, allowing the other colors to finally shine through and show their beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges.

I hope you and your little ones enjoyed this experiment! Science is everywhere, and science experiments for kids are such a wonderful way to build on our children’s natural curiosity about the world.

If you’re ready for an entire year of Kindergarten activities planned for you–easy peasy and full of fun and wonder—check out Kindergarten at Home!

Your Complete 36-Week Curriculum for 4-6 Year Olds

https://shop.howweelearn.com/pages/kindergarten-at-home

Thank you so much for reading, my friend,

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September 8, 2013 at 8:02 pm

This is a great experiment. Not even just for the kids – I find it fascinating too! lol. Pinned it!

September 8, 2013 at 11:38 pm

I think so too! I love activities that are as exciting for me as they are for my wee ones! Thank you for pinning 🙂

October 4, 2018 at 10:27 am

my class is doing this experiment today.

September 15, 2013 at 7:02 am

Ooooh what a great experiment. I’ve struggled to explain this too.

Thanks for linking to The Sunday Showcase. I’ve pinned to our board.

September 15, 2013 at 11:03 am

Yes – The leaves changing can be tricky to explain! Hopefully this experiment helps it to make a bit of sense – and if your wee one is too young to grasp it, it makes for a cool magic trick all the same! Thank you for pinning

September 25, 2013 at 1:01 pm

What an awesome investigation. I saw this experiment in several other posts with comments that it didn’t quite work. I think they didn’t “stew” the solution like you did. I asked my second grader about color change and got the lecture on chlorophyll back, but I know she will enjoy this experiment and seeing this color separation on her own. Thank you so much for sharing it – I will be featuring this post in the next edition of Afterschool! And, by the way, we just did a fun experiment of our own – http://learningwithmouse.blogspot.com/2013/09/mystery-substanceself-led-discovery.html

September 25, 2013 at 1:28 pm

Thanks Natalie! Yes, I have done this experiment many times – worked every one! It is important to really mash the leaves and be patient. I hope it works well for you – please come back to let us know! I will definitely head over to check out your experiment – we are always up for Science ideas!

September 27, 2013 at 6:35 pm

Thanks so much for sharing this great Science experiment over at After School!

September 27, 2013 at 7:27 pm

My pleasure – thank you for hosting!

September 30, 2013 at 1:03 am

Very cool! I think my kids would love doing this project. Thanks for sharing at the After School Party

September 30, 2013 at 1:05 am

Thank you Kelly. Yes, I think it is a super cool experiment too – for grown ups as well 🙂

September 30, 2013 at 3:31 am

This is awesome! I’m adding this to my must-do list. My son would LOVE it! Thanks for sharing this at the After School Linky Party. I’m featuring it this week. Stop by tomorrow and share more of your phenomenal ideas!

October 1, 2013 at 1:13 am

What a compliment – thank you! I would love to stop by 🙂 Hope you enjoy with your son … Gotta love Science!!

October 2, 2013 at 6:26 pm

Thank you so much for sharing this, Sarah! We went on a nature hike when the leaves were starting to change colour and I have been thinking that I needed to find something to explain to the kids why the leaves change colour. This is perfect!

I found your post through the Mom’s Library Link-up.

October 8, 2013 at 1:12 am

What a neat experiment! My daughter loves science so I will have to do this with her:) I am featuring you on my blog for the “Hearts for Home Blog Hop”. The link will be posted on Thursday:)

October 8, 2013 at 1:46 am

Thank you so much for the feature Erika! I love Science too.

November 8, 2019 at 1:00 pm

Thanks my class of children are 2….they don’t understand but they LOVE my science experiments……and I have fun doing it with them

October 20, 2013 at 2:41 pm

It’s really interesting that rubbing alcohol will make the colors in leaves separate. We will have to try that. I would love to have you visit and link up with my Entertaining and Educational Friday blog hop. – http://highhillhomeschool.blogspot.com

October 20, 2013 at 7:28 pm

It is interesting Julie. Rubbing Alcohol breaks down the chlorophyll, imitating what happens in the cold weather. I find Science so fascinating too! I would love to link up to your blog hop on Friday – I will try to stop by this week! Thanks for the invite,

November 2, 2013 at 10:18 pm

What a cool experiment! I am bookmarking this one for when the twins are a little older- they will love it (and so will I)! Thanks for linking up to Discover & Explore this week!

November 4, 2013 at 9:40 pm

It really is cool. Glad you think so too! Thanks for having me over to link.

November 8, 2013 at 7:42 am

This is such an interesting experiment! I had no idea you could do that. I’m featuring you today in a collection of weather experiments for kids. Thanks for linking up to Discover & Explore!

November 8, 2013 at 7:10 pm

Thanks Shaunna! Yes, it is a really neat experiment – I am eager to check out the others in your round up! Thank you for the feature 🙂

November 22, 2014 at 5:36 pm

Wow! Can hardly wai to try!

December 1, 2014 at 8:43 pm

Oh I hope you do give it a try Barb! It is one we do every year … very, very cool!

September 3, 2015 at 6:09 pm

If I remember correctly, I think rubbing alcohol will also separate out the colors from a permanent marker (e.g. a Sharpie pen). Wonder if the color from chlorophyll is somehow similar? Might be amusing to do as a side by side experiment. 🙂

September 3, 2015 at 7:21 pm

Fascinating – I don’t know about this one, but I certainly want to find out! Thank you for taking the time to mention it Gwen!

September 25, 2015 at 8:16 am

I came across your blog earlier this week because my oldest asked why leaves changed colors. So, we did this experiment. They had so much fun! We ended up using the colored alcohol as a form of watercolor paint. Well we tried to, it didn’t work very well haha.

September 30, 2015 at 10:58 pm

So happy you found me here Chelsey! Glad your little ones liked the experiment. What a cool idea about the watercolour paint from the alcohol!

September 30, 2015 at 3:23 pm

wow. i love this science project. next week we are doing leaves for the theme of the week. can’t wait to do this with the children. they are going to love it.

September 30, 2015 at 10:54 pm

I bet you they will love it! And I am glad you sound so eager about it too – that will make them love it even more! It’s awesome – and so are you! Thank you for commenting!

October 14, 2015 at 5:12 pm

Something went wrong with our experiment. We don’t have any color on our coffee filter. I stewed it like you said. Should we take the coffee filter out of our jar and let it dry?

October 14, 2015 at 7:48 pm

Hmmm – rats! Sorry to hear! I don’t think taking it out and letting it dry will make a difference (however you might as well give it a try, perhaps you will e able to see a faint line) . Perhaps try again with more leaves, really really mashed. I promise it really does work! Sorry it didn’t for you – very disappointing!

October 15, 2015 at 10:39 pm

Thanks for your help! I think there is a VERY faint line of yellow. It’s hard to tell. I probably didn’t mash it enough. That’s okay. It was a learning experience for my son to figure out what to do when something doesn’t turn out right.

October 25, 2015 at 8:10 pm

Well I certainly love your positive attitude! I bet it will work for you next time – just mash like crazy!!!

October 19, 2015 at 12:14 pm

Oh I love this so much! I can’t wait to try it with my little girls, thank you for posting! 🙂

October 25, 2015 at 8:07 pm

So glad you are excited! Hope you and your little one have fun!

November 18, 2015 at 5:49 am

Hello. I would really like to do this experiment with some children, the only problem is that in my country we don’t have white coffe filtres. Can you recommend me something else to use instead?

December 1, 2015 at 7:43 pm

Hi Myriam – great question. I am afraid I do not know of an alternate, but perhaps somebody else will – anyone?

February 25, 2016 at 2:19 am

It’s good

September 13, 2018 at 11:15 am

How about paper towels?

October 5, 2018 at 8:20 pm

I’m not sure if this would work as effectively – but if you give it a try, please let me know!!

September 8, 2019 at 4:42 am

IF you know a a science teacher, (high school, college, middle school), you might be able to get lab filter paper, or the real deal, chromatography paper. If your alcohol isn’t dark green, let it sit on the leaves overnight, in the dark, and most all of the pigments will be extracted. Yellow are carotenoids, red would be anthocyanins. Which makes me wonder if you could grate carrots and see those pigments.

April 18, 2016 at 5:54 pm

You should also play with purple cabbage juice. It’s a great pH indicator and you can test loads of household items: baking soda, lemon juice, soda… 🙂

April 18, 2016 at 10:34 pm

Thanks for the suggestion! Very much appreciated!

October 16, 2016 at 8:46 pm

We are doing this for my daughter’s 6th grade science fair project. We tried 3 different leaves from our yard. But only 1 gave us a faint yellowish line. I’m not sure if we didn’t mash it well enough. We tried it again using 2 different types of leaves and only one gave us good results. I don’t know if it’s the type of leaves we used. We live in Central Florida and don’t see leaves cancer by much. We will keep on trying till we get better results. It’s too late to change project ideas. ?

October 19, 2016 at 8:24 pm

Oh No! I hope it works for you. A few tips would be to super, duper mash the leaves, leave the filter as long as possible in the mixture, and use really, really hot water. We are in Canada and get a whole plethora of colours in the Autumn. I am not sure if it makes a difference – I hope it works for you!

October 7, 2020 at 5:18 pm

I’m not sure if the use of the metal lid to the canning jar made a difference but I did not get the results I expected. I plan to try again later tonight with plactic wrap. Any ideas for how to make the colors pop?

July 12, 2017 at 12:14 am

Have you tried this experiment with a leaf already changing color? If it’d work, it’d be neat to compare the filter strip of the green leaf to the changing leaf months later.

July 17, 2017 at 10:14 pm

That’s a neat idea!

August 31, 2017 at 2:23 pm

Thank you for sharing this simple science idea. To be honest I had forgotten why leaves turn color, so it was a nice little reminder and education for me as well. -makeitmindful

October 19, 2017 at 10:41 am

Glad you enjoyed it!

September 23, 2017 at 9:31 am

Just tried this and made some modifications that worked really well, so thought I would share. I let the leaves sit for several hours in the alcohol (about 4 hours). Then I poured the liquid into a clear glass cup and added an equal volume of water. It was cool to see what the liquid looked like in the clear cup (it was brightly pigmented at this point)! For the filter paper strips – after sitting for one hour there were some faint bands, but nothing impressive. I let the filter paper strips sit overnight, and WOW – there were vibrant bands in the morning! I tried hydrangea leaves (green – turn yellow in the fall), and red maple leaves. The red maple leaves were especially beautiful – there was a thick band of purple pigment at the top of the evaporation line and lower band of green pigment. Hope this is helpful! Thanks for posting this fun experiment!

October 18, 2017 at 3:02 pm

Thank you so much for taking the time to add your modifications Abbi!

November 2, 2019 at 5:25 pm

Why did you dilute the leaf-alcohol solution with water? Wouldn’t that dilute the pigments as well?

October 7, 2018 at 12:27 pm

That is wonderful example for Extraction and color chromatography.Thank you very much.

October 14, 2018 at 8:59 pm

So glad you liked the post – thank you for taking the time to let me know!

October 28, 2018 at 12:53 am

Instead of rubbing alcohol can I use spirit or nail polish remover.

October 28, 2018 at 9:32 pm

I’m afraid I am not sure the answer to this question Sonali. Hopefully someone else will and will reply to your message. If you give it a try please let me know if it works. Thank you!

June 6, 2019 at 12:15 pm

Tried this yesterday with 3 kindergarten classes. It didn’t really work, even hours later at the end of the day. I even tried mashing the leaves in a food processor. But then I checked today and there was faint colour lines!! Maybe because I used 50% rubbing alcohol? Anyway, cool experiment.

August 9, 2019 at 9:05 pm

Oh Shucks! I have found that really, really mashing the leaves is key – but clearly you did that with the food processor. Maybe it was the lower concentration of alcohol. Sorry it didn’t work! That is so disappointing.

October 21, 2019 at 10:23 am

Does this experiment make the leaves themselves actually change color? Do the leaves turn yellow or red? Or just the paper gets color on it?

November 16, 2019 at 4:28 pm

Hi Amanda, great question. It just makes the PAPER change colour.

November 4, 2020 at 11:48 am

Hey Sarah! I’ve done this experiment before and loved it. But this year my kiddos have taken us into a leaves and tree study now and all the leaves have already fallen off of trees. Will this experiment work with a dead leaf (one I get from the ground)?? Let me know. Thanks!

November 11, 2020 at 9:59 pm

What an interesting question! I don’t believe it will work with a dead leaf, as the process is complete. But I could be incorrect!

July 12, 2021 at 3:36 pm

What do you recommend I use if I don’t have coffee filters?

July 15, 2021 at 8:06 am

Hmmm … great question. I wonder if just paper towel would work? I am not sure! Perhaps someone else in this community will have insight!

September 29, 2021 at 5:48 pm

The kids loved this experiment!! We got great results! Thanks for sharing!!!

October 25, 2021 at 12:37 pm

So awesome!!!!! Thank you for sharing! xo

[…] A science experiment about why leaves change colour would be a great extension for older preschoolers.  And an art extension making a fall tree would […]

[…] Science Experiment: Why Do Leaves Change Color? […]

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Leaf Chromatography Experiment

We’re going to conduct a leaf chromatography experiment with step-by-step instructions in this post. This is a terrific fall-themed science experiment you can do with your homeschool class.

If you’re teaching younger kids, you can focus on the experiment itself with some basic explanations. If you have older children, you might want to jump deeper into the idea of chromatography—what it is, how it works, and why it’s useful in the study of science.

What Is Chromatography?

Chromatography is a scientific way of separating things that are mixed. Think of it as if you had a smoothie with lots of different ingredients, like strawberries, bananas, and spinach, all blended into one. With chromatography, you’d be able to break it down or “reverse engineer” and separate the strawberries from the bananas and the spinach, so you can see what each part of the mix is made up of.

In real life, scientists use chromatography to separate and identify different chemicals or compounds in liquids or gases. For example, it’s used to test water quality, check food for contaminants, or even solve crimes by analyzing substances at a crime scene.

How Does Chromatography Work?

Chromatography works kind of like when you accidentally spill coffee on a paper towel, and you see the liquid spread out and leave behind a stain. It’s all about separating things that are mixed together, and it does this by using two parts: a stationary phase (which doesn’t move) and a mobile phase (which does move).

Before talking specifically about our leaf chromatography experiment, let’s talk about the basic idea behind chromatography:

You have a mixture of stuff that you want to separate (let’s say, ink or a liquid). You place that mixture onto the stationary phase, like a piece of paper or a special kind of gel. Then you introduce the mobile phase, which is usually a liquid or gas that moves through the stationary phase.

As the mobile phase moves, it pulls the different parts of the mixture along with it. The cool thing is that some parts of the mixture move faster than others because they “stick” to the stationary phase more or less. For example, in paper chromatography, different colors in ink will travel up the paper at different speeds, making them separate out.

It’s like a race! The components that like to hang out with the mobile phase move ahead, while the ones that are more “sticky” stay behind. In the end, you get a nice spread of different parts of the mixture, and that’s how chromatography shows what’s inside.

Leaf Chromatography Experiment—Explaining the Science

Leaf chromatography is a fun and fascinating way to see the different pigments (colors) inside a leaf. Even though most leaves look green, they actually contain other pigments that aren’t always visible to the naked eye. A leaf chromatography experiment lets you separate these pigments and see them individually!

We’ll jump into the experiment in a moment, but first, here’s how it works in a nutshell:

• Collecting the pigments: First, you crush or grind up a leaf to break open the cells and release the pigments inside. This green mixture is where the magic happens! The main pigment you’ll see is chlorophyll (the green stuff that helps with photosynthesis), but leaves also have other pigments like carotenoids (yellow/orange) and anthocyanins (red/purple).
• Setting up chromatography: You take a strip of paper (usually filter paper) and place a drop of the leaf’s pigment mixture at the bottom. Then you dip just the bottom of the paper into a solvent, like rubbing alcohol, which helps dissolve the pigments and carries them up the paper as it travels upward.
• Watching the separation: As the solvent moves up the paper, it pulls the pigments along with it. But here’s the cool part: different pigments move at different speeds! Some stick to the paper more and move slowly, while others travel faster with the solvent. Over time, the pigments separate into different bands of color on the paper.
• Seeing the hidden colors: After a little while, you’ll start to see different colors appear—greens, yellows, maybe even some reds or purples. These are the pigments that were hiding in the leaf all along! Chlorophyll is usually the most dominant and shows up first as green, but you’ll also see the other pigments that contribute to a leaf’s true color, especially in the fall when leaves change color.

Leaf chromatography is not only a fun experiment, but it also shows how plants contain a whole rainbow of colors that help them capture sunlight and store energy. It’s like unlocking a colorful secret hidden in every leaf!

This video explains the process for kids in a visual way:

We will do a fun fall science experiment that explains how leaves change colors before they fall to the ground. Even though the trees look so bare and forlorn in the winter, we know that in the spring more will literally spring to life and once again provide beauty and shade for us. We can see our own journeys with Christ through these observations.

Note:  If you are doing this leaf chromatography experiment as part of a co-op or Sunday school class, you’ll want to conduct the experiment at the beginning of the class session to allow time for the changes in leaf color to occur.

Material Needed for Leaf Chromatography Experiment

• two or three green leaves
• two or three autumn leaves (that have changed color)
• baby food jars with lids
• rubbing alcohol
• shallow pan
• hot water – (Hot tap water will do.)
• masking tape
• labels  (If labels are not available, data can be written on masking tape.)
• plastic knife or spoon
• kitchen timer  or clock
• coffee filters

Instructions for Leaf Chromatography Experiment

1. Collect two or three colorful leaves and two or three green leaves.

2. Label each jar with the name of the tree each leaf came from.

3. Tear leaves into small pieces and put them in the jars that have been labeled. (i.e. maple leaves go into maple leaf jars, etc.)

4. Fill each jar with enough rubbing alcohol to cover the leaves.

5. Carefully grind the leaves in the alcohol until they are totally pulverized, and then very loosely cover the jars with the lids, but don’t screw them on tight. Aluminum foil or clear plastic can be placed across the tops of the jars if lids are not available.

6. Fill the pan with about one inch of hot tap water and wait about thirty minutes until the alcohol begins to turn black. The darker, the better. Then jiggle the jars about every five minutes. If the water cools, replace water with hot water.

7. Cut the coffee filters into long, thin strips–one per jar, and then label each strip with the name of the type of leaf in each jar. When the alcohol is dark and murky, remove the jars from the water, take the lids off, and then place the coffee filters into each jar so that one end is in the alcohol and one end is sticking up.

8. Fold the free end of the coffee filter over the end of the jar and tape it in place. The alcohol will slowly move up the paper, dragging the colors with it. After thirty minutes (or more) you will be able to see different colors on the paper, depending on the type of leaf.

9. Remove the colored coffee strips from the jars and tape them next to each other on a piece of paper to dry.

Explanation of Leaf Chromatography

This leaf chromatography experiment shows helps illustrate how and why leaves change color in the fall. We know that leaves contain chlorophyll, which makes them green, and carotenoids, which colors them yellow, brown, red, or orange, depending on the type of leaf.

In our leaf chromatography experiment, the chemicals traveled at different distances up the filter paper as the alcohol evaporated, staining them with their hidden colors. That’s because, during the summer, light reacts with the chlorophyll in the leaves to make them green.

In the fall there is less light, therefore depriving the leaves of chlorophyll. With less chlorophyll, the leaves lose the ability to stay green. Some turn bright yellow because they contain carotene. In some trees, like maples, the sugar reacts to form anthocyanin.

These chemicals cause yellow leaves to turn red. Cold temperatures aid the formation of anthocyanin, and that gives us the fabulous fall landscape in the northern parts of our country.

We saw in this leaf chromatography experiment how God allowed chlorophyll, which makes leaves green, to be replaced by carotene and anthocyanin. In our lives, as we grow, we see how God allows youth and vibrance to be replaced by maturity and wisdom. God is present in every phase of life, working to make us more like His son, Jesus.

Enjoyed the post? Let us know if you tried this leaf chromatography experiment.

You might also enjoy:

Easy Fall Unit Studies for Homeschoolers

Fall Yarn Leaf Magnets

Intricate Fall Origami Leaf

Author. Editor. Mom.

Bonita Jewel visited India when she was 16 and stayed for 12 years. She is a freelance editor with an MFA in Creative Writing. Now settled in California with her husband and three children, Bonita's writing explores faith, family, belonging, and the joys of writing, reading, and being part of a Greater Story. She posts regularly at bonitajewel.substack.com

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Easy Fall Leaf Science Experiment: Exploring Colors & Chlorophyll with Kids

After exploring and Learning About the Parts of Leaves we decided to learn about leaf color and chlorophyll with an easy science experiment.  I found…

After exploring and Learning About the Parts of Leaves we decided to learn about leaf color and chlorophyll with an easy science experiment.  I found the idea to extract chlorophyll from leaves on Home Science Tools . I thought that it sounded simple enough we could give it a try with a few modifications.  I am so glad we did because the results are beautiful and it helped my kids see and better understand the role chlorophyll plays with changing leaf colors.

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You will also enjoy our Leaf Chromatography Experiment. If you have leftover leaves you should try this cool how to preserve leaves project and print out this FREE Parts of a Leaf learning worksheet.

Before you start this activity the first thing is to go and enjoy the outdoors and gather up some fall leaves. The kids and I feel so lucky to live close to mountains that are ablaze with beautiful fall colors–one of my favorite times of the year! We went on a little hike, gathered leaves, and other nature treasures, and headed home to be scientists.

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Fall Leaf Science Experiment

3.  Observe what color the alcohol is. Come back throughout the day and check to see if the alcohol has changed color. We let our experiment sit overnight and in the morning the colors were even darker but the second night resulted in no change.

4.  Discuss experiment and compare differences between the containers. We recently continued our learning with a STEAM Coffee Filter Art Activity to make Fall Leaves that would be a perfect addition to this activity.

See More: Science Activities Here

See more: fall activities here.

Leaf Chromatography Experiment

STEAM Leaf Art

Fall Tree Crafts

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I love this, when I was a young mom I worked so much just as both my kids do now but finding activities such as this are wonderful. I love these hands on experiments to share with my grandkids. I am a young grandma but It gives me an idea to maybe take the kids to share these experiences with the elderly, they love company.

Great activity for my class! I love science and so does my preschoolers!

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This looks really cool. My son is only 3 so may do this multiple time as he gets older but I know the color changing aspect of the experiment will be most appreciated by him.

Hi Kristen, Thanks so much! I totally agree, it’s great for any age!

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What a great idea! I can't wait for the leaves to start turning here. 🙂 Thank you so much for linking up at the Learn & Play Link Up. Your post is featured this week on Christian Montessori Network!

This is a great idea. I have a high-schooler doing Biology dealing with plants, and I have a fourth grader who watches the Biology videos with his sister. This would be great to do along with what we are already doing now! Thanks for the idea!

This is such a great way to learn about leaves. If I can find some containers, we may just have to do this, even though we finished our leaf unit already. I will be sharing your post with my My Fat'er'hs World Kindergarten group on Facebook , because I am sure there are some moms there that still have to do the leaf unit., and would love to do this. Thank you for stopping by and sharing with Littles Learning Link Up. I hope you can stop by again this week. Have a great day!

What a fun idea! I love the hands-on way of exploring the color of fall leaves! #ThoughtfulSpot

Hi Emma, Thanks so much! My kiddos definitely thought watching the experiment magically change during the day was fun.

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Leaf Chromatography Experiment

Have you ever wondered about how leaves get their color? You can easily set up an experiment to find the hidden pigments in the leaves in your backyard! This leaf chromatography experiment is perfect for exploring the hidden colors of leaves. Walk through the backyard and see what leaves you can collect for this simple science experiment .

What Is Leaf Chromatography?

How does chromatography work? Chromatography is the process of separating a mixture by passing it through another medium like coffee filters.

ALSO CHECK OUT:  Marker Chromatography

In this chromatography experiment below, you will make a mixture with your leaves and a solvent, rubbing alcohol. You will then use coffee filters to separate the pigments from the leaf mixture.

The most soluble substances from the pigments will travel the farthest up your paper filter strip. Different parts of your mixture will travel up the strip at different rates.

During the leaf growing season, you mostly see the blue-green chlorophyll and yellow-green chlorophyll, but as leaves begin to change colors {and the chlorophyll breaks down as the leaves die}, you will be able to see more yellow and orange pigments come through.

It would be fun to compare the results of leaf chromatography between summer and fall!

Leftover leaves? Why not learn about plant respiration , try a leaf veins experiment or even enjoy a leaf rubbing craft for easy leaf STEM activities.

• Rubbing alcohol
• Coffee filters
• Craft sticks
• Something to mash the leaves with like a mortar and pestle, or get creative

Note: Set aside 90 mins for this project, as the mixture must bake in the oven for 60 mins. Of course, while you are waiting, you can take the time to explore other leaf experiments or art projects.

Instructions:

STEP 1: Get outside and collect leaves! Try to find different types of leaves and colors!

STEP 2: Cut the leaves into small pieces or tear them!

STEP 3: Put one color of a leaf into each jar.

STEP 4: {optional} Find a way to grind up the leaves in the jar either before or after transferring them to the jar to help release the pigments.

This step will help make this chromatography activity have even better results. Just try to mash and grind as much as possible if you do this step.

STEP 5: Cover your leaves with rubbing alcohol.

STEP 6: Bake the mixture at 250 degrees for one hour. Let it cool completely!

Adults should help and/or highly supervise with this step, depending on kids’ abilities.

STEP 7: While your leaf mixture is cooling, cut strips of coffee filter paper and secure one end around a craft stick.

Place a strip of coffee filter into each jar. The craft stick will help to suspend the paper so it doesn’t fall in, but it barely touches the surface!

STEP 8: Wait until the alcohol climbs to the top of the paper and then let dry. Make sure to observe the changes that take place while this process happens.

STEP 9: Once dry, bring your filters out to a clean spot {can place on paper towels} and grab a magnifying glass to inspect the different colors.

Questions For Reflection

What kinds of conclusions can be drawn? Help younger kids with their scientific skills by asking them questions to spark curiosity and observations.

• What do you see?
• What changed?
• Why do you think that happened?

Check out the results and talk about chromatography and photosynthesis with kids!

Easy and fascinating nature science for kids that explores the hidden mysteries of leaves! There is so much to explore in nature. This is a great science activity to get you outside with the kids too.

Why Do Plants Have Chlorophyll?

Learn a little about photosynthesis , which is converting light energy from the sun into chemical food energy. The process of photosynthesis starts with the bright green chlorophyll inside the leaves.

The plant absorbs sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and minerals to produce the energy needed to grow. Of course, this gives us the oxygen in our air.

What colors will you find when you complete the chromatography experiment below?

Using The Scientific Method With Kids

The scientific method is a process or method of research. A problem is identified, information about the problem is gathered, a hypothesis or question is formulated from the information, and the hypothesis is tested with an experiment to prove or disprove its validity.

Sounds heavy! What in the world does that mean?!? It means you don’t need to try and solve the world’s biggest science questions! The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.

As children develop practices that involve creating, gathering data evaluating, analyzing, and communicating, they can apply these critical thinking skills to any situation.

READ MORE:   The Scientific Method For Kids With Examples

Note:  The use of the   best Science and Engineering Practices   is also relevant to the topic of using the scientific method. Read more and see if it fits your science planning needs.

Tips For Applying The Scientific Method

• Apply the scientific method to this leaf chromatography experiment by using a different liquid like water for another batch and compare the results to the alcohol.
• Alternatively, compare the pigments you find in different types of leaves or different colored leaves. Lead your kids through the scientific process which we outline here.

Learn More About Leaves

Looking for more plant lesson plans? Here are few suggestions for fun plant activities that would be perfect for preschoolers and elementary kids.

• Use art and craft supplies to create the different  parts of a plant .
• Learn the  parts of a leaf  with our printable coloring page.
• Grab some leaves and find out  how plants breath .
• Use these printable worksheets to learn about the steps of photosynthesis .
• Label the parts of a plant cell .
• Learn about how water moves through the  veins in a leaf.
• Find out  why leaves change color  with our printable lapbook project.

Printable Leaf Project Pack

Explore 30+ plant and leaf activities for a variety of skill levels! Perfect for Kindergarten through Elementary school grades (or whatever skill level suits your needs). These activities are easily used for both fall and spring science lessons.

Printable Science Projects Pack

Find over 90 fantastic science projects … complete with instructions, photos, and project-specific recording sheets. Plan a science fair and more!

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Leaf Chromatography Experiment – Easy Paper Chromatography

Leaf chromatography is paper chromatography using leaves. Paper chromatography is a separation technique. When applied to leaves, it separates the pigment molecules mostly according to their size. The main pigment molecule in green leaves is chlorophyll, which performs photosynthesis in the plant. Other pigments also occur, such as carotenoids and anthocyanins. When leaves change color in the fall , the amount and type of pigment molecules changes. Leaf chromatography is a fun science project that lets you see these different pigments.

Leaf Chromatography Materials

You only need a few simple materials for the leaf chromatography project:

• Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)
• Coffee filters or thick paper towels
• Small clear jars or glasses with lids (or plastic wrap to cover the jars)
• Shallow pan
• Kitchen utensils

You can use any leaves for this project. A single plant leaf contains several pigment molecules, but for the most colors, use a variety of leaves. Or, collect several of each kind of leaf and compare them to each other. Good choices are colorful autumn leaves or chopped spinach.

Perform Paper Chromatography on Leaves

The key steps are breaking open the cells in leaves and extracting the pigment molecule and then separating the pigment using the alcohol and paper.

• Finely chop 2-3 leaves or several small leaves. If available, use a blender to break open the plant cells. The pigment molecules are in the chloroplasts of the cells, which are organelles encased within the plant cell walls. The more you break up the leave, the more pigment you’ll collect.
• Add enough alcohol to just cover the leaves.
• If you have more samples of leaves, repeat this process.
• Cover the container of leaves and alcohol and set it in a shallow pan filled with enough hot tap water to surround and heat the container. You don’t want water getting into your container of leaves.
• Replace the hot water with fresh water as it cools. Swirl the container of leaves around from time to time to aid the pigment extraction into the alcohol. The extraction is ready when the alcohol is deeply colored. The darker its color, the brighter the resulting chromatogram.
• Cut a long strip of coffee filter or sturdy paper towel for each chromatography jar. Paper with an open mesh (like a paper towel) works quickly, but paper with a denser mesh (like a coffee filter) is slower but gives a better pigment separation.
• Place a strip of paper into jar, with one end in the leaf and alcohol mixture and the other end extending upward and out of the jar.
• The alcohol moves via capillary action and evaporation, pulling the pigment molecules along with it. Ultimately, you get bands of color, each containing different pigments. After 30 to 90 minutes (or whenever you achieve pigment separation), remove the paper strips and let them dry.

How Leaf Chromatography Works

Paper chromatography separates pigments in leaf cells on the basis of three criteria:

• Molecule size

Solubility is a measure of how well a pigment molecule dissolves in the sol vent. In this project, the solvent is alcohol . Crushing the leaves breaks open cells so pigments interact with alcohol. Only molecules that are soluble in alcohol migrate with it up the paper.

Assuming a pigment is soluble, the biggest factor in how far it travels up the paper is particle size. Smaller molecules travel further up the paper than larger molecules. Small molecules fit between fibers in the paper more easily than big ones. So, they take a more direct path through the paper and get further in less time. Large molecules slowly work their way through the paper. In the beginning, not much space separates large and small molecules. The paper needs to be long enough that the different-sized molecules have enough time to separate enough to tell them apart.

Paper consists of cellulose, a polysaccharide found in wood, cotton, and other plants. Cellulose is a polar molecule . Polar molecules stick to cellulose and don’t travel very far in paper chromatography. Nonpolar molecules aren’t attracted to cellulose, so they travel further.

Of course, none of this matters if the solvent doesn’t move through the paper. Alcohol moves through paper via capillary action . The adhesive force between the liquid and the paper is greater than the cohesive force of the solvent molecules. So, the alcohol moves, carrying more alcohol and the pigment molecules along with it.

Interpreting the Chromatogram

• The smallest pigment molecules are the ones that traveled the greatest distance. The largest molecules are the ones that traveled the least distance.
• If you compare chromatograms from different jars, you can identify common pigments in their leaves. All things being equal, the lines made by the pigments should be the same distance from the origin as each other. But, usually conditions are not exactly the same, so you compare colors of lines and whether they traveled a short or long distance.
• Try identifying the pigments responsible for the colors.

There are three broad classes of plant pigments: porphyrins, carotenoids, and flavonoids. The main porphyrins are chlorophyll molecules. There are actually multiple forms of chlorophyll, but you can recognize them because they are green. Carotenoids include carotene (yellow or orange), lycopene (orange or red), and xanthophyll (yellow). Flavonoids include flavone and flavonol (both yellow) and anthocyanin (red, purple, or even blue).

Experiment Ideas

• Collect leaves from a single tree or species of tree as they change color in the fall. Compare chromatograms from different colors of leaves. Are the same pigments always present in the leaves? Some plants produce the same pigments, just in differing amounts. Other plants start producing different pigments as the seasons change.
• Compare the pigments in leaves of different kinds of trees.
• Separate leaves according to color and perform leaf chromatography on the different sets. See if you can tell the color of leaves just by looking at the relative amount of different pigments.
• The solvent you use affects the pigments you see. Repeat the experiment using acetone (nail polish remover) instead of alcohol.
• Block, Richard J.; Durrum, Emmett L.; Zweig, Gunter (1955).  A Manual of Paper Chromatography and Paper Electrophoresis . Elsevier. ISBN 978-1-4832-7680-9.
• Ettre, L.S.; Zlatkis, A. (eds.) (2011). 75 Years of Chromatography: A Historical Dialogue . Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-08-085817-3.
• Gross, J. (1991). Pigments in Vegetables: Chlorophylls and Carotenoids . Van Nostrand Reinhold. ISBN 978-0442006570.
• Haslam, Edwin (2007). “Vegetable tannins – Lessons of a phytochemical lifetime.”  Phytochemistry . 68 (22–24): 2713–21. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.09.009
• McMurry, J. (2011). Organic chemistry With Biological Applications (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. ISBN 9780495391470.

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• Sara Thompson
• Nov 1, 2021

DIY Experiment: Leaf Chromatography at Home

Updated: Nov 4, 2021

By Sara Thompson

Special to the Enterprise

During spring and summer, trees use their leaves to produce energy and nutrients for the tree from sunlight through a process called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis could not work without chlorophyll, which gives leaves their green color. As the weather begins to cool off and winter approaches, the chlorophyll begins to break down in the leaf allowing other pigments to show through. When you mix crushed up leaves in a solution you can separate out their colors in this chromatography experiment at home.

What you will need : Leaves of different color, mortar and pestle or a bowl and spoon, a glass jar or cup for each color, rubbing alcohol, large baking dish, boiling water, and white coffee filters.

For the experiment gather leaves and sort them into different colors. Using a mortar and pestle or a bowl and spoon, crush up the leaves. Tearing them up a bit first can help, just try to keep the colors separated. When the leaves are crushed up a bit, place them in the bottom of a glass jar or cup. Do this to each color leaves, placing the different colors into different jars. Carefully pour enough rubbing alcohol into the jars to just cover the leaves, should only be a couple of tablespoons. You can choose to let the experiment sit overnight, or to speed up the process you’ll need to heat the glass jars. Place the jars into a baking dish and carefully pour boiling water around the jars. Do not put the water into the jars, but around them to heat them up. Wait about a half an hour and allow the pigments to seep into the rubbing alcohol. Next, cut the white coffee filters into strips. Place one end of the strip into the rubbing alcohol and allow the other end to hang over the edge of the baking dish, try to avoid the hot water. You will need to leave the strips in for an hour or two to allow the pigments to soak into the filter paper.

After a couple of hours take the filter paper out of the jars. The pigments from the leaves were released into the rubbing alcohol when they got warm. The rubbing alcohol is soaked up by the filter paper and brings the leaf pigments with it. The colors separate into bands on the paper and you are left with a beautiful display of colors on the filter paper.

This experiment is best done in the autumn while the leaves are changing color. The brightly colored pigments are only present when the green chlorophyll is breaking down at the end of summer, while the tree prepares for winter. This is a fun and colorful experiment that can be done with scientists of all ages, as long as the smallest explorers have an adult’s help with the leaf crushing and pouring of liquids.

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Chromatography with Leaves: A Nature Study Experiment

This fun chromatography with leaves experiment will teach both the amazing chemistry of chromatography and the botany of why deciduous leaves change colors in autumn.

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What is chromatography?

It’s simply a big name that means separating mixtures . Or, in this case, separating pigments . As complicated as the word sounds, experimenting with chromatography is very easy.

Chromatography with Markers

I always like to teach the concept of chromatography with markers before using other materials because markers provide such consistently fantastic results.

• black water-soluble markers (a variety of brands would be nice for comparison experiments)
• glasses filled with about 1″ of water
• white paper towels cut into 1″ strips

The black ink you find in water-soluble markers is made from a variety of colored pigments. You can determine which pigments were used by separating the individual colors in this easy experiment.

On a strip of paper towel, use one of your markers to draw a thick line horizontally one inch from the bottom.

Tape the paper towel to a pencil.

Suspend the pencil across the glass so that the very bottom of your strip of paper towel touches the water.

Use other black markers (or experiment with other colored markers) to repeat the experiment using a new glass of water each time.

Observe the water as it slowly travels up the towel using a force called capillary action. As the water moves through the marker ink, you will notice it pulls and deposits various pigments up the towel. This happens because different colored pigments are carried along at different rates. How fast each pigment travels depends on the size of the pigment molecule and how strongly the pigment is attracted to the paper. As each pigment is deposited, you are able to see the various colors mixed to make the black ink. (This separation could take up to 30 minutes.)

Draw the various results in a science journal for comparison.

Chromatography with Leaves

Now that your children understand the concept of chromatography, you can try another experiment to get a sneak peek at the color of fall leaves.

I like to do this experiment in late summer or early fall just before leaves begin changing colors. We discuss photosynthesis, chlorophyll, and the true pigments of leaves first.

• GREEN leaves
• rubbing alcohol
• plastic wrap
• coffee filters or white paper towels cut into 1″ strips

This experiment works a bit differently than the marker experiment and the results aren’t always quite as brilliant – especially if your leaves are dry from drought.

Tear one green leaf into very small bits and place the pieces in a glass.

Add enough rubbing alcohol to just cover the leaf pieces.

Cover the glass with plastic wrap and place it in a shallow pan of hot tap water. The hot water will help the alcohol absorb the leaf pigments. It should take about 30 minutes in the hot water for the alcohol to turn green. You may need to replace the hot water once and swirl the glasses a few times.

Tape a coffee filter or paper towel strip to a pencil.

Once the alcohol is green, suspend the pencil over the glass so that the very end of the paper strip barely touches the liquid.

It will take approximately an hour and a half for the pigments to travel up and separate on the paper.

Repeat the experiment several times with different leaves so you can make comparisons.

You should be able to see hints of the “real” colors of the leaves and make predictions about their fall colors.

Note all your findings in a science or nature journal.

More Chromatography Experiments

Here are two chromatography experiments that look like great fun.  I think we’ll dive into the candy experiment next.

Chromatography Forensics Experiment

Candy Chromatography

More Deciduous Tree Study

Deciduous trees are amazing to study in all seasons. In NaturExplorers Delightful Deciduous Trees , you will find enough nature walks and extension activity ideas to carry you through many, many fun, creative, and serious science lessons!

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Rubbing alcohol is hard to find. Will this the leaf pigments still bleed with just water in the cup? Are there other substitutes for the rubbing alcohol that would work?

I’m not sure if substitutes would work or not. It’s the solvent that separates dyes that are not water soluble. It wouldn’t hurt to experiment with a different solvent like vinegar, nail polish remover, or even drinking alcohol. Of course, all of these (including the isopropyl alcohol) require parental supervision.

Leaf Color Experiment

With fall around the corner, we've been seeing the leaves in our neighborhood slowly start to change. My kids have had so much fun discovering the new pops of color in our yard. This is absolutely one of our favorite fall science experiments! Simple and quick, this experiment teaches kids about color in leaves. If you are a parent of curious kids, be sure to give this experiment a try!

Ages: 3 - 6

30 minutes - 1 hour

A little messy

Grownup needed

Materials you'll need

• different color leaves
• bowl or pot
• rubbing alcohol

Step-by-step tutorial

Place four leaves in a pot of boiling water. Boil your leaves for 5 minutes. Make sure to have an adult supervise this step!

While you wait for your leaves to boil, fill up your test tubes (or tall glasses would work too) with rubbing alcohol. You'll need enough rubbing alcohol to submerge the leaves in.

Once leaves have boiled for 5 minutes, use your tongs to pick up the leaves and quickly place them in the rubbing alcohol.

Note the current color of the rubbing alcohol. Now wait about an hour and observe what happened to the leaves and alcohol. What do you see?Let your experiment sit overnight and come back to see if your alcohol color has turned darker. Can you guess what colors these leaves are?

What's going on?

Leaves are full of chlorophyll, which works to for convert the energy of the sun into food for the plant. Chlorophyll also makes leaves appear green. They have other colors in them as well, but as long as there's lots of chlorophyll, the green hides all the other colors. However, in the fall the chlorophyll in the leaves starts to break down. This allows other colors such as yellow, and orange to make their appearance!

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Autumn Leaves? Yes Please!

Use this fun science experiment with children of all ages to help them understand why leaves change color in the fall. It's very simple and easy! Read on to find out more!

Sometimes, the easiest way to explain a concept is to show how it's done! That's why we love this science activity to help kids visualize why leaves change color in the fall. Here's what you need to know about this activity: 

It's helpful to preface the experiment with some basic information about plants. Depending on the age group of your young scientists, you can go as basic or as in depth as you need to here. Kids should have an understanding that plants use sunlight to obtain food. (You can decide whether you want to explain the process of photosynthesis.) But they should know that as the seasons change and sunlight decreases, the chlorophyll that gives the leaves their green color starts to decrease. When that happens, other colors that were in the leaves all along start to show!

Here are the materials you'll need to do this experiment: 

• rubbing alcohol
• three small jars
• coffee filters
• different color leaves

The first thing you'll want to do is divide the leaves up by color. (We divided them by type because we had two sets of greens. The Super Teacher team hasn't seen the autumn leaves transform in our area yet, so we improvised! Use what's available to you.)

Put your three leaf types into three jars. Tear the leaves into tiny pieces. The tinier the pieces, the better! 

Next, pour rubbing alcohol over the pieces of leaves. Use a spoon to mash the pieces in the rubbing alcohol. If you do this for a couple minutes, the rubbing alcohol should start to take on the color of the leaves. To really see the liquid absorb that color, wait an hour or so before placing folded-up coffee filters into each jar, as pictured below. 

Once the coffee filters are propped up in the jars, you'll need to let them sit there for a good amount of time - a couple of hours or so. This will give your coffee filters an adequate amount of time to soak up the pigments. 

At the end of the activity, you'll be able to see that different colors have traveled up the coffee filters. Our color variations were very subtle because it was early in the season, but you can still see the browns and yellows, in addition to the greens. 

(Helpful Hint: We layered our coffee filters, hoping they would soak up more of the rubbing alcohol. However, if we did it again, we would use one coffee filter per jar. The separation of the different pigments might be more distinct this way!)

What did you think of this autumn leaves science activity? What are your own favorite fall activities to do with your students? We'd love to hear from you! Leave us your feedback in the comments section below!

If you're interested in learning more about this topic, check out this wonderful, free reading comprehension activity called "Why Leaves Change Color"!

Also, be sure to visit our Autumn Worksheets Page , where you'll find many more educational resources to celebrate fall! 

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Find out why leaves change color.

Of all the natural processes around us, the annual changing of leaves from green to different shades of yellow, orange, and red is perhaps the most beautiful. But behind this show of color, there are important scientific processes at work.

Want to give your child a peek into the science behind a tree's changing leaves? With this hands-on activity, you'll show how those colors stay hidden in the leaf all year long!

What You Need:

• small jar (a baby food jar work well)
• cover for jars, aluminum foil or plastic wrap
• rubbing alcohol
• paper coffee filter
• shallow pan
• hot tap water
• plastic knife or spoon

What You Do:

• Have your child collect 2-3 large leaves from the same tree type. You and your child should tear or chop the leaves into very small pieces and put them into small jars.
• Add enough rubbing alcohol to the jar to cover the leaves. Using a plastic knife or spoon, carefully chop and grind the leaves in the alcohol. SAFETY NOTE: rubbing alcohol can be harmful if mishandled or misused. Use in a well-ventilated area, and avoid contact with skin.
• Have your child cover the jar very loosely with a lid, plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the jar carefully into a shallow tray containing 1 inch of hot tap water.
• Keep the jar in the water for at least a half-hour, longer if needed, until the alcohol has become colored (the darker the better). Twirl the jar gently about every five minutes. Replace the hot water if it cools off.
• Have your child cut a long thin strip of coffee filter paper. Remove the jar from the water and uncover it. Place a strip of filter paper into the jar so that one end is in the alcohol. Bend the other end over the top of the jar and secure it with tape.
• The alcohol will travel up the paper, bringing the colors with it. After 30-90 minutes the colors will travel different distances up the paper as the alcohol evaporates. Your child should be able to see different shades of green, and possibly some yellow, orange or red, depending on the type of leaf.

What happened?

Chlorophyll is a green compound that hides the other colored pigments present in leaves. In the autumn chlorophyll breaks down, allowing the other pigments to be seen. The mix of pigments in a leaf may be separated into bands of color by the technique of paper chromatography. Chromatography involves the separation of mixtures into individual components, which you just did using alcohol and energy (heat). Then, by "absorption" and "capillarity," separation can take place! The paper holds the substances using absorption, while capillarity pulls the substances up the paper at different rates. Pigments are separated on the paper and show up as colored streaks or bands. Pretty cool, huh? As possible extension activities have your child compare different types of leaves and/or experiment with other types of paper.

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Science Projects > Life Science Projects > Leaf Experiments  

Leaf Experiments

Explore the science of fall with these leaf experiments for elementary students up through high school!

Leaf cells have a special feature: pigment-containing chloroplasts in certain cells that enable them to produce energy and their own food through photosynthesis.

What does that mean? Well, the chloroplasts within a cell contain different pigments, which are what gives a leaf its color.

Green chlorophyll is the most common type of pigment, but there are also xanthophylls (yellow), cartenoids (yellow, orange), and anthocyanins (red).

The chlorophylls usually hide the other pigments, except when autumn comes along and chlorophyll begins to break down. This is why leaves turn different colors in the fall.

Leaf Experiment with Photosynthesis

What is photosynthesis ? Simply put, it’s the capture of light energy to produce food. Light energy from the sun is transmitted through a leaf’s cells to chloroplasts, where chlorophyll and other absorbing pigments serve as receptors to collect the energy. In the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide from the air is converted into energy-rich carbon compounds called carbohydrates. As this happens, oxygen is given off into the air, providing the oxygen that we breathe.

You can test the importance of light energy in plant growth by doing a simple leaf experiment.

Use 2-3 small plants. (Bean plants are a good choice, as they sprout quickly.)

You’ll need one to be the control, with normal growing conditions, either outside in sunlight or inside by a bright window. See how light effects growth by covering the other test plants with a paper bag or small box during part of the day.

Try covering one for four hours during the morning, and another for the whole day.

Observe changes to the plants over the course of a week. Which grows the best? What is the result of light-deprivation? What might happen to a leaf with reduced photosynthesis?

Leaf Science Experiment with Color

To find out more about leaf pigments , do this next experiment. First, you’ll need to extract pigments from leaves. Collect several green leaves from different trees, a few from each one. Maples and others that have dramatic color changes in the fall will work best, but you can use any deciduous leaves (from trees that lose their leaves in the winter). Tear each set of different leaves into several pieces and place them in a glass beaker or small drinking glass, then add just enough rubbing alcohol to cover them. (You can cover the containers with foil or plastic wrap to keep the alcohol from evaporating into the air.) Put the containers in a dish of hot tap water for about 30 minutes, until the alcohol turns green as the pigments from the leaves are absorbed into it.

Next, test to find out what colors are really present in a leaf . You’ll need coffee filters, filter paper , or chromatography paper for this part of the experiment. Cut a strip out of the middle of a coffee filter, about one inch wide, for each of the leaf sets that you want to test. Tape one end of the paper to a pencil or stick, and suspend it across the container with the other end just touching the alcohol and pigment mixture. A bit of the mixture will travel slowly up the paper. After about 30-90 minutes you should be able to see the ‘green’ color break up into several different colors as the different pigments begin to separate. You’ll see different shades of green, and perhaps other colors as well.

Which type of leaf had the most colorful pigments? Based on your experiment, which trees’ leaves do you think will turn the brightest and least brightest colors this fall? Try the experiment again with evergreen leaves or needles to compare the results.

Leaf Experiments with a Microscope

Taking a closer look at plant cells.

Learn even more about plants by studying different sections of real leaves. You can make your own microscope slide of a leaf section and view it under high power with a compound microscope to see cell detail. All you need is a fresh leaf specimen (use one without many holes or blemishes), a plain glass microscope slide , slide coverslip , sharp knife, and water.

Before you begin, make sure the leaf is clean and dry. Lay it out flat on your working surface and slice about a 1” section crosswise out of the center using the knife. The cells surrounding the central vein of the leaf are what you will want to look at; so make sure you slice across a section of the vein. Then, starting at one of the short ends of the strip (the edges that you did not cut), tightly roll the leaf section. Carefully make several very thin slices off one end of the roll with a razor blade or knife. This is a ‘cross section’ of the leaf.

Make a wet mount on a plain slide with the inner part of the leaf section facing up (so the inner cells are visible). You can do this by adding a drop or two of water over the leaf section and then covering it with the coverslip. Look at the slide with your microscope’s 10x objective to see the general structure, and higher power to see cell detail. Record your observations on a copy of our free Microscope worksheets.

Click here to download the Microscope Observation worksheet (pdf)

Click here to download the Stereo Microscope Observation worksheet (pdf)

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Teaching with Jennifer Findley

Upper Elementary Teaching Blog

Leaf Chromatography Experiment

This is a fun and informative fall science activity that has a great content focus. This experiment explores how leaves change color in the fall.  The purpose of the experiment is to get the students to understand that chlorophyll (which gives leaves the green color) masks the other colors in the leaves. In the winter, trees block water to the leaves breaking down the chlorophyll and allowing the other colors to be visible. Don’t miss the free reading printable included with this post.

Want to see more science activities and resources ?

Leaf Chromatography Experiment Materials Needed:

Disclosure: the book link below is an Amazon affiliate link. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

• plastic cups
• plastic spoons
• coffee filters
• isopropyl alcohol
• leaves pulled directly from the tree
• the reading passage and comprehension questions at the end of this post
• I Wonder Why Leaves Change Color: And Other Questions about Plants

Leaf Chromatography Experiment Directions

To begin, you tear three or four large green leaves into tiny pieces. The smaller the pieces, the better. I chose to use three different types of leaves to see if there was any change in the colors given off during the experiment. Spoiler: there wasn’t.

Place the pieces into plastic cups and cover them with isopropyl alcohol. After adding the alcohol, mash the leaves and alcohol for a few minutes. Mash until the alcohol is a light green color. The rubbing alcohol and the energy from the mashing are what separates the colors from the leaves.

Next, place long strips of a coffee filter into the cups. If you need to, you can tape them to the outside of the cup. The strips will absorb the pigments from the leaves, modeling the process of leaves changing colors in the fall.

After about 3-4 hours, the colored pigment started to rise up through the filter.

The Science Behind the Leaf Chromatography Experiment

Plants need water, nutrients from soil, and sunlight to grow. During photosynthesis, a chemical called chlorophyll converts the sunlight into sugars, then the plant uses these sugars as food.

During the colder months, there is less sunlight for the leaves to gather. So to protect themselves, they break down their chlorophyll and send the nutrients to the plant’s roots.

Since chlorophyll is where a leaf’s green color comes from, when it is removed, all you see are the other chemicals that remain. When the chlorophyll is removed, the leaf dies and falls off the tree. What you see on the coffee filter strips is the chlorophyll being leached from the water.

After the Experiment Reading Activity

Adding reading and writing to a science experiment allows you to enhance your students’ understanding and get more mileage from the activity.

For this activity, the students will read a short text that describes the science behind it (similar to what is explained above for the teacher’s reference). The students will use the details they learned in the text to explain what happened during the science experiment. They will also answer four comprehension questions using details from the text.

The questions your students will answer include:

• What three things do plants need?
• What happens during photosynthesis?
• What gives leaves and stems their vibrant
• What happens to the chlorophyll during fall and winter?

After reading the passage and answering the questions, you can invite your students to share their responses and have a classroom discussion.

How Can I Get the Free Printable Pack?

Click here or on the image below to download the leaf chromatography experiment printable pack .

What are your favorite science activities? Let me know in the comments! I am always looking for new science experiments that my students will love.

If you want more resources and even freebies for science , click here to check out my other posts, such as apple oxidation, erosion with grass, dissolving Peeps, gingerbread cookies and candy hearts, creating avalanches and frost, states of matter with chocolate, experiments with growing plants and flowers (including a seed race), and much more.

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25+ Leaf Science Experiments Activities and Sensory Ideas

Here you will find over 25 fun leaf science experiments and activities for kids . Everything from why leaf color change happens and the life cycle of trees and seasonal leaf changes. You’ll also see leaf STEM projects, sensory ideas, and even full leaf unit studies.

Leaf Science Projects

Leaf science experiments, activities, and sensory ideas.

So, if you’re looking for new and exciting ways to keep your little ones entertained and engaged in learning, look no further than these leaf science experiments, leaf activities , and leaf sensory ideas !

These hands-on projects are filled with educational benefits. As kids explore the world around them through leaf-themed activities, they’ll develop crucial skills like observation, analysis, and problem-solving.

So grab some leaves from your nature walk or visit a local park and get ready for some science fun!

Leaf Science Ideas

1. Leaf Rubbings – You only need a few sheets of paper, colored crayons, and various leaves. Place a leaf under the paper and rub the crayon over its surface to reveal the leaf’s veins. Experiment with different kinds of leaves to see the different patterns that emerge. This activity helps build fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and it’s excellent for looking at the details in the leaves.

2. Leaf Sorting – Gather leaves in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Encourage your children to sort them into categories based on their shared characteristics. For example, they could group leaves by color, shape, or texture. This activity is excellent for your child’s observation skills, cognitive flexibility, and classification abilities.

3. Leaf Printing – Coat one side of a leaf with a layer of paint or ink and press it onto a paper to create a stunning print. Experiment with different colors and paint thicknesses to see what kinds of unique patterns and textures show up. This project fosters creativity, experimentation, and artistic expression.

4. Leaf Sensory Bin – Fill a large bin with leaves and let your child explore them with their senses. Encourage them to look, touch, and even smell them. This sensory activity can help encourage a child’s sensory integration, improve gross motor skills, and spark curiosity about nature.

5. Leaf Chromatography – Cut off the stem and place your desired leaf in the bottom of a tall glass filled with rubbing alcohol. Wait an hour or so for the leaf to release its pigments into the alcohol. After that time, remove the leaf and check the color of the alcohol. It should contain the pigments that the leaf produces and uses to capture light energy during photosynthesis.

This activity teaches children about scientific inquiry, the scientific method, and chemical analysis.

Leaf Activities for Kids

Have fun exploring leaves this fall with these gorgeous autumn crafts , experiments, and ideas.

Sorting Leaves & Seeds from Inspiration Laboratories

Autumn Leaf Chromatography from Life with Moore Babies

Leaves Shapes Botany 3-part Cards Free PDF from Wise Owl Factory

Leaf Matching Activity from School Time Snippets

Fall Loose Parts Sensory Invitation from My Storytime Corner

Fall Leaf Auditory Processing Activities from Sugar Aunts

Felt Fall Tree Play Set Inspired by The Little Yellow Leaf from Buggy and Buddy

Saving Fall Leaves from Mama Smiles

Leaf Chromatography STEM Activity from Schooling a Monkey

Leaf Identification Set from Look We’re Learning

Parts of a Leaf from Twisty Noodle

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Leaf Experiments for Preschoolers and Kindergarten

Tree and Leaf Nomenclature Cards from Tired, Need Sleep

Autumn Leaves 3-Part Cards from Imagine Our Life

Leaf Science Research from Mrs. Jones Creation Station

Science Behind Why Leaves Change Colors from Edventures

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf Sensory Bin from Stir the Wonder

Autumn Discovery Bottle from Play and Learn Every Day

Hands-on Tree Identification Activity from Edventures

Nature Tray Sorting and Counting from Living Montessori Now

Swimming in Leaves from Fireflies and Mudpies

Leaf Sensory Bag from Kids Craft Room

There are so many creative ways to explore the natural world with children, and leaf science experiments and activities are a great place to start during the fall season.

Whether you’re looking to foster your child’s artistic expression, build their scientific skills and knowledge, or have some fun, these hands-on projects are sure to delight children of all ages.

So grab some leaves and try one (or all!) of these fun leaf activities today!

Fall Themes

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Science At Play: Leaf Chromatography

• Jessie Scott
• July 23, 2020

We are right in the middle of summer, so the trees around us are full of bright green leaves. Explore the colorful pigments leaves have hidden inside of them. Go outside and collect some leaves you find interesting, then come back here and learn how to experiment with leaf chromatography.

Materials to Collect

• Leaves – spinach, kale, plants outside
• Nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol
• Paper towel or coffee filter cut into long, 2-inch wide strips

Don’t Pick That!: Please please please do not use poison ivy or poison oak for this activity!

(Photo of poison ivy vine climbing a tree – HowStuffWorks.com )

Check out this guide and this UConn poison ivy guide for identifying and dealing with poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Click here for a more general don’t touch/don’t eat that plant guide for North America. I would recommend sticking to leaves from trees you know or leaves from your groceries for this activity. If you’re like me, the above picture is enough to make you feel itchy for the rest of the day!

Try it out!

(Photo: The leaves I picked for the experiment today – you don’t need this many!)

Go find some leaves that you are curious about! I chose (what I believe to be)  two different types of maple leaves (on the left) and oak leaves (on the right). You can also explore some leaves you might have in your fridge like spinach or kale!

• Tear those leaves into tiny pieces and put them in a cup – make sure you have a different cup for each leaf type!
• Mash the leaves with a spoon or a mortar and pestle. You want to break them up as much as possible so you can explore the pigments, or color molecules, that they have inside the leaves.
• Add nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol, whichever you happen to have on hand, just enough to cover the leaves in liquid.
• Now is where you have two options! You can either dip a strip of paper towel into the liquid right now, or you can put a cover on those cups and let the leaf pieces break down even more overnight. Or try both!

(Photo of experiment set up with paper towels dipped into nail polish remover/rubbing alcohol and leaf pieces, taped to a stick above the cups – note the darker liquid color because the leaves sat in the liquid overnight)

• If you’re continuing right now, or if it is the next day: carefully place a paper towel strip into the leaf-liquid so that it is just touching the liquid. 
• Rest a stick on the top of your cup and tape the paper towel to this stick to hold the paper towel in place.
• Wait for 15-20 minutes then check back and see what you notice! (I didn’t notice anything except for a faint green creeping up my paper towels. From here, I removed the paper towel strips and let my experiment hang out, covered, overnight)
• If you wait overnight, what differences do you notice from what you set up the day before? The next morning, I put new paper towel strips in the liquid for 20 minutes and saw some beautiful results!

(Photo of chromatography results showing different bands of color from the leaves!)

What is the science  .

Leaf chromatography is an experiment that allows us to see the colorful pigments that leaves have hidden inside them. The green leaf color is the chlorophyll, which helps plants absorb the yellow and blue wavelengths of light. Chlorophyll is the main pigment used for photosynthesis, or harvesting energy from sunlight! Those leaves have so much chlorophyll in them that it hides the other pigments from view. Some of these other pigments are carotenoids (yellow, orange, red, or brown in color; absorb blue light) and anthocyanin (pink-red colored; absorb blue-green light) – these two pigments help plants absorb additional wavelengths of light and help plants deal with some of the stress that sunlight can cause ( Harvard Forest ). In the fall, the chlorophyll in leaves breaks down and the nutrients are reabsorbed by the plant, leaving behind the other leaf pigments – this is why we get to see so many gorgeous red, orange, and yellow trees! By breaking down the leaves and separating out the pigments, we’re able to get a sneak preview of the different colors we might see on these trees in the fall!

But wait a minute – how did we separate out those pigments?! That paper towel that you dipped into the leafy-liquid started to absorb that liquid. The liquid travelled up the paper towel in a process called capillary action – the liquid filled tiny holes in the paper towel and gradually climbed up the paper towel. While the liquid was climbing the paper towel, it took plant pigments with it! The plant pigments are different sizes and shapes so they were carried different distances up the paper towel by the liquid.

If you didn’t see any colors in the 20 minutes that you had the paper towel in the liquid (don’t worry, I only saw a little bit of a color change!), remove the paper towels and cover the liquid overnight – this will give the leaves some time to release more pigments. You can try the same experiment tomorrow with fresh paper towel strips and see if you notice any differences!

Ask Your Young Scientists

• What differences do you notice in the leaves you collected?
• What colors are the leaves you collected?
• Why do you think we rip the leaves into little pieces?
• What do you notice as the leaf pieces sit in the nail polish remover/rubbing alcohol?
• What is happening when we dip the paper towel into the liquid?
• What colors do you see at the end of 20 minutes?
• What differences do you notice in the liquid that sat overnight?
• Where/when have we seen these colors before?

More to Explore

Try using different colored leaves! Red cabbage is another great leaf to try, it gets its color from anthocyanins – a really neat pigment that changes color based on pH! (To learn more about cabbage juice, check out our blog!)- Link to Andrew and Samantha’s cabbage juice SAP video

Science at Play: Pen Chromatography – if you enjoyed this activity, my colleagues Aoife Ryle and Andrew Fotta have another chromatography experiment that you can try as well!

Seek by iNaturalist – excellent app for kids to help identify plants, insects, fungi and animals

iNaturalist – great app for older kids and adults that allows users to help you identify the plants, animals, insects, and fungi that you took pictures of

LeafSnap – I have not tried this app yet, but it can identify trees using pictures of their leaves – perfect for this activity if you’re curious about what tree you took leaves from!

Share photos or videos of your leaf chromatography with us by tagging us @CTScienceCenter and #ScienceAtPlay !

Jessie Scott is a STEM Educator who enjoys encouraging students’ enthusiasm for science. She teaches classes to students visiting the Science Center and brings STEM lessons to schools across Connecticut. Jessie completed her Master of Science degree in Microbiology at Dartmouth College and worked as a science educator at the Montshire Museum of Science before coming to the Connecticut Science Center. Her scientific interests are: biology – how living things have adapted different strategies to survive in their environments, insects, and plants. In her free time, Jessie likes to go rock climbing, hiking, and skiing.

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