Why Do Leaves Change Color

Why do leaves change color? Written by Keira Fried.

树叶为什么会变颜色呀？ 作者：凯拉·弗里德

So many colors Why are the leaves on trees different colors? What makes them change color?

好多好多颜色呀 树上的叶子为什么颜色都不一样呢？ 是什么让它们变颜色的呀？

Making food. Leaves use sunlight, water, and air to make food for the tree. This way of making food is called photosynthesis. A chemical that helps leaves make food also makes them green.

制造养分。 树叶利用阳光、水和空气为大树制造养分。 这种制造养分的方式叫做光合作用。 有一种化学物质既能帮树叶制造养分，也能让树叶变绿。

Photosynthesis is important to animals as well as plants. Some animals eat plants. Other animals eat those animals. Without photosynthesis, neither kind of animal would have food.

光合作用对植物很重要，对动物也同样重要哦。 有些动物吃植物， 还有些动物以这些植食动物为食。 没有光合作用的话，这两类动物都没有食物可以吃啦。

Summer Summer is playtime. For the leaves of many trees, however, it's work, work, work. The sun is shining. The leaves are making food for the trees. The trees store any extra food deep inside. The stored food will help them get through winter.

夏天 夏天是玩耍的好时候， 不过对很多树的叶子来说，夏天就是工作、工作、不停工作。 太阳明晃晃地照着。 树叶一直在给大树制造养分。 大树会把多余的养分都牢牢储存在身体深处。 这些储存的养分能帮它们顺利度过冬天。

Leaves are green in summer because they are making food. Leaves also have orange, yellow, or brown colors inside them. During summer, those other colors are hidden by the green color.

夏天的叶子是绿色的，因为它们一直在制造养分。 其实叶子里本来也有橙色、黄色或者棕色的色素。 夏天的时候，这些颜色都被绿色盖住了，我们看不到。