In this method, a mixture (such as your pigment mixture) is applied onto a chromatography paper. These molecules also give the red hue to apples, cranberries, strawberries, and more.ДЄlthough a leaf is a mixture of these pigments, you can separate the colors using a method called paper chromatography. There are also anthocyanins, intense red pigments that are not made during the summer, only appearing with the final group of the fall colors. They are also found in carrots, daffodils, bananas, and other plants that have these vibrant colors. These pigments take more time to break down than chlorophyll does, so you see them become visible in fall leaves. Photosynthesis also uses these pigments during the summer, but chlorophyll, a stronger pigment, overpowers them. Xanthophylls are yellow pigments, and carotenoids give leaves an orange color. As fall arrives and the green, food-making color fades, other pigments such as yellow, orange, and red ones become more visible. Chlorophyll makes them green and helps carry out photosynthesis during warm, sunny months. There are many types of pigments in plant leaves. For example, very green leaves may not have any red colors (anthocyanins) on their strips. Because the color of the leaf depends on the mixture of pigments in it, different colored leaves will display different colors on their paper towel strips. Pigments that are more attracted to the alcohol than the paper strip usually travel farther up the strip. Pigments that are more attracted to the paper strip than the isopropyl alcohol stay near the bottom of the strip, where the solution was first 'painted' onto the pencil line. Pigments travel along the paper strip based on their interactions with the paper strip and the isopropyl alcohol solution.

The ones you may see on your paper towel strips are: green chlorophyll, yellow xanthophylls, orange carotenoids, and red anthocyanins.

What are the different bands of color on the test strips? These are the different pigments in the leaves. You should see different colors at different locations as you go along one of the paper towel strips, and the order in which the colors appear should be roughly the same among the different color solutions you tested. In this activity, a scientific technique called paper chromatography was used to separate the individual color pigments. What Happened?Д®ven though a plant leaf looks like it is mostly one color, it is actually made up of a mixture of pigment molecules.

Resealable plastic bags (one for each group of leaves)Д«ecause some plant pigments can stain, be careful not to spill your colored solutions when throwing them away.Very small heat-resistant bowls or tea-light candle holders (one for each group of leaves).Wooden spoon or another wooden utensil with a blunt end for crushing leaves.Tall glass jars or drinking glasses (one for each group of leaves).Strong, sturdy glasses, such as mason jars (one for each group of leaves).Clothespins or large paper clips (3вЂ“4 for each group of leaves).If you use paper towels, make sure to use thick paper towels as these result in better color separation. Note: Chromatography paper usually works better than paper towels or coffee filter. Strong, white, heavyweight, ultra-absorbent paper towels or white coffee filter paper orД¬hromatography filter paper that can be purchased separately from.Leaves at different stages of turning fall colors (the more the better - about 20 of each color, from the same tree, is best).To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project.

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