Plant Leaf Pigment Chromatography Experiment for Kids

The different colors of leaves that we see in the fall are the result of different plant pigments that each leaf has. In the summer, chlorophyll, a green plant pigment, is abundant in plants making them all look green. In autumn, as temperatures get colder, plants stop making chlorophyll and so we can see other pigments. This experiment uses a few basic materials to conduct an experiment to see different plant pigments. It's a great science fair project where you can see if different color leaves have different pigments!

Materials:
-Leaves
-Scissors
-Coffee filters
-Cups
-Pencils or sticks
-90% Isopropanol or 100% acetone

Instructions:
1. Cut leaves into tiny bits
2. Place leaves in a cup
3. Cover leaves with your solvent (acetone or isopropanol) and let pigments extract for 30 minutes or over night. You might want to seal your cup so that your liquid doesn't evaporate.
4. Cut a coffee filter into strips
5. Wrap your coffee filter around a pencil or stick so that it just barely touches the liquid.
6. Wait for the liquid to move up through the coffee filter (45-60 minutes).
7. Observe your results!

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