Why do leaves change colors?

树叶为什么会变色?

I want you to think about leaves on a tree as essentially mini solar panels. What they`re able to do is fascinating. They are taking the sunlight in, and through a process known as photosynthesis, they were able to transfer the sun`s energy and create a chemical known as chlorophyll.

我希望你能把树叶想像成为一个迷你的太阳能板。这些太阳能板的作用就是吸引人啦。这些树叶正在吸收太阳能，然后经过光合作用，树叶能够将太阳能转化能叶绿素。

Now, chlorophyll is key because it gives the leaves its green colors during a long summer months. But beneath the surface, the leaves actually always have the reds, the oranges, the yellows in place. While chlorophyll is there, it`s there and it`s green. While it`s taken away in the shorter days and shorter months of autumn, now you`re releasing some of the true colors back to the surface.

现在，叶绿素是至关重要的，因为叶绿素能让树叶在夏天保持绿色。但是，实际上，在叶子表层下有红色、橘色、黄色。叶绿素存在的位置，叶子表面就显绿色。虽然在秋天短短几个月期间，叶绿素流失，叶子就恢复到了原本的颜色。

Of course, weather can play a role in this as well, especially in the vibrancy of it. When you have plenty of rainfall in the growing season or in the spring season, we`re able to get plenty of good colors in early September, October and November. If you have extreme heat, extreme drought in place, maybe a freeze, early snow storm, or the strong winds, certainly that can do damage. The leaves may not be there for you to see them in peak foliage. So hopefully, you had a chance to get out there this year and enjoy the fall colors.

当然，天气也非常的重要，尤其对于叶子的活力。当在生长季节或者春季的时候，降雨量较多，我们就可以在9月初、10月、11月收获多种多样的颜色。如果经历的是酷暑、干旱、或者霜冻、抑或早期的暴风雪，叶子当然会受到伤害，这时，你可能就不会看到大量的落叶了。所以啊，祈祷吧，今年你有机会欣赏秋天的落叶。

Why do leaves change colors?

I want you to think about leaves on a tree as essentially mini solar panels. What they`re able to do is fascinating. They are taking the sunlight in, and through a process known as photosynthesis, they were able to transfer the sun`s energy and create a chemical known as chlorophyll.

Now, chlorophyll is key because it gives the leaves its green colors during a long summer months. But beneath the surface, the leaves actually always have the reds, the oranges, the yellows in place. While chlorophyll is there, it`s there and it`s green. While it`s taken away in the shorter days and shorter months of autumn, now you`re releasing some of the true colors back to the surface.

Of course, weather can play a role in this as well, especially in the vibrancy of it. When you have plenty of rainfall in the growing season or in the spring season, we`re able to get plenty of good colors in early September, October and November. If you have extreme heat, extreme drought in place, maybe a freeze, early snow storm, or the strong winds, certainly that can do damage. The leaves may not be there for you to see them in peak foliage. So hopefully, you had a chance to get out there this year and enjoy the fall colors.