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Why leaves are green is explained quite simply. They contain chlorophyll, which is a green color pigment. This is the explanation behind it
Why leaves are green: this is the explanation
Almost every leaf in nature is green. The shades can vary. This is why there are plants with quite dark green leaves, but also those that appear light green.
- Every plant, including trees, contains chlorophyll. This is a green color pigment that plants need to absorb sunlight. This process is called photosynthesis.
- The leaves of every plant reflect green light. That is why we see them in green color.
- As the leaves do not absorb this green light, they are protected against fluctuations in solar radiation. They therefore have natural sun protection.
- If the sky is very cloudy, the plants cannot produce as much energy as they need. Too much light, in turn, can damage the leaf components. This is why plants do not absorb green light, but reflect it
- However, there are also plants and trees whose leaves are red. Some of them only turn red in the fall, while others always have red leaves. This is also due to color pigments that protect the leaves from sunlight.
Photosynthesis
Plants need chlorophyll, the green color pigment, to produce good photosynthesis. This is how photosynthesis works.
- Plants and trees are dependent on sunlight. They cannot survive without light. The sun’s energy is absorbed by certain components in the leaf cells.
- These components are called chloroplasts and they contain chlorophyll. This chlorophyll helps plants and trees to filter harmful carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air.
- In addition, chlorophyll helps plants to draw water from the soil. These two components, CO₂ and water, are in turn converted into glucose. This process is known as photosynthesis.
- The glucose is used to build new bark, leaves, roots and wood. During photosynthesis, however, a “waste product” is also produced: oxygen, which in turn every living being needs to breathe.
