Leaf Chromatography
Green is from chlorophyll yellow is from flavonoids orange is from carotenoids and red is from anthocyanins.
Leaf chromatography. The different colors found in leaves are created by different chemicals. Yellow leaves have pigments called xanthophyll orange leaves have a pigment called carotenoids. After the rubbing alcohol was added i mashed the leaves in each cup with a plastic spoon. Leaf chromatography share this science project photosynthesis you might remember is the process in which plants convert light energy from the sun to chemical food energy.
Brightly colored pigments in leaves are essential to the first steps of light absorption with chlorophyll being the most important pigment. Leaf chromatography one of our fablab favourites is m ms chromatography where we carefully remove the colour from the coating of sweets. The most soluble substances from the pigments will travel the farthest up your paper filter strip. This substance is important in photosynthesis the process by which plants make their food.
Chromatography of leaves most leaves are green due to chlorophyll. In this experiment the different pigments present in a leaf are separated using paper chromatography. During most of the growing season leaves contain more chlorophyll than any other pigment making them appear green. Here we are making a mixture of leaves and rubbing alcohol and using coffee filters to separate the pigment from the mixture.
At this time of year autumn leaves can be collected and used in a similar way. Leaves contain different pigments which give them their color. Although rubbing alcohol isn t likely to kill one of my 1st graders i would much rather err on the side of caution. I did do this part of the experiment myself because i did not have goggles or gloves for my 1st grade friends.
Chromatography is the process of separating a mixture by passing it through another medium like the coffee filters. In the fall chlorophyll begins to break down and the other pigments which have been there all along are finally revealed.