Chemical of the Week - The Chemistry of Autumn Colors

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Chemical of the Week - The Chemistry of Autumn Colors
Scifun.org
Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, Chemistry Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison

"Every autumn across the Northern Hemisphere, diminishing daylight hours and falling temperatures induce trees to prepare for winter. In these preparations, they shed billions of tons of leaves. In certain regions, such as our own, the shedding of leaves is preceded by a spectacular color show. Formerly green leaves turn to brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red. These color changes are the result of transformations in leaf pigments."


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