First Day of Fall

Happy First Day of Fall from Columbia Ortho!

Well it’s official, we are now through the Summer and into the Fall season.  This means cooler temperatures, lots of football games, and leaves on the trees changing to beautiful Fall colors.

Ever wonder why the leaves change colors?  For fun today, we’ll teach you why the leaves change so you can feel smart and share this great information with your children, friends and family.

Leaves have chlorophyll which makes them look green.  During Spring and Summer the leaves look green because photosynthesis is occurring.  Photosynthesis is the process by which leaves get food and water.  The chlorophyll gets sunlight and groundwater and turns them into food that is stored in the leaf.

Leaves also have xanthophyll and carotene in them which makes them look yellow and orange respectively.  As the days get shorter and there is less sunlight during the Fall, the chlorophyll cannot get enough light to make food for the leaves, so they start to lose their green color, and the oranges and yellows start to show.

When all the food is used up, the leaves turn brown, die, and fall off the trees altogether.

We hope you found this information interesting!  Check back to our blog to learn more fun facts, information about orthodontics, and  new things happening around our office.