Why leaves are green
A green pigment in the leaf.
Green leaves
Look at the trees and plants around you. Most leaves are green.
Why do you think most leaves are green?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Leaves are mostly green because of chlorophyll, a green pigment that helps capture sunlight efficiently.
Green leaves
Look at the trees and plants around you. Most leaves are green.
Why do you think most leaves are green?
- They have a green pigment inside
- The rain paints them green
- The soil colours them green
Look inside a leaf
Zoom into the leaf. Then shine sunlight on it.
Chlorophyll
The green dots in the picture stand for the green pigment. A pigment is a coloured substance. This one is called chlorophyll.
Leaves are mostly green because of chlorophyll, a green pigment that helps capture sunlight efficiently.
Notes
Leaves are mostly green because of chlorophyll, a green pigment that helps capture sunlight efficiently.
Check yourself
Which pigment makes leaves green?
What does chlorophyll help the leaf to do?
Why are leaves mostly green?
- Chlorophyll — correct. Yes! Chlorophyll is the green pigment.
- Iodine. Iodine is a solution used to test for starch. It is not a pigment in leaves.
- Starch. Starch is the food stored in the leaf. It is not the green pigment.
- Become broad and flat. Leaves are broad and flat by design. Chlorophyll is the green pigment that helps capture sunlight.
- Capture sunlight efficiently — correct. Yes! It helps capture sunlight.
- Take up water from the soil. The roots take up water from the soil. Chlorophyll helps capture sunlight.
- Because they have been tested with iodine. Iodine is added only for a test. Leaves are green because of chlorophyll.
- Because they store starch. Starch is stored in leaves, but the green colour comes from chlorophyll.
- Because of chlorophyll — correct. Yes! Chlorophyll is green.