Have you ever wondered what colors are hiding inside a green leaf? This simple leaf chromatography experiment separates the pigments in leaves so kids can see more than just the color on the surface.
It’s a great fall science activity for exploring plant pigments, chlorophyll, photosynthesis, and chromatography with leaves collected right outside.
Field: Life Science, Chemistry
Grades: 3–6
Concepts: Chromatography, Plant Pigments, Chlorophyll, Photosynthesis, Observation
What Is Leaf Chromatography?
Chromatography is a technique used to separate the different substances in a mixture.
In this leaf chromatography experiment, you extract pigments from leaves using rubbing alcohol. Then place a strip of coffee filter paper into the pigment mixture.
As the liquid moves up the paper, different pigments travel at different rates. This can create visible bands of color on the filter.
💡 You may notice shades of green, yellow, orange, or other colors, depending on the leaves you use.
👉 Try our Marker Chromatography Experiment for another easy way to explore this process.
Why Do Leaves Have Different Pigments?
Leaves contain several pigments that help plants interact with light.
Chlorophyll is the green pigment most visible during the growing season and plays an important role in photosynthesis.
Leaves can also contain yellow and orange pigments that may be harder to see when chlorophyll is abundant. As chlorophyll decreases in the fall, some of these other pigments become easier to see.
👉 Find out more about why leaves change color
Leaf Chromatography Experiment
Try leaves from several plants or compare green leaves with leaves that have already begun changing color.
Supplies
- Fresh leaves
- Rubbing alcohol
- Small glass jars or cups
- Coffee filters
- Scissors
- Craft sticks or pencils
- Tape
- Spoon, muddler, or mortar and pestle
- Magnifying glass, optional
Adult supervision: An adult should handle rubbing alcohol and keep it away from heat, flames, and young children.
How to Do Leaf Chromatography
Step 1: Collect Leaves
Collect several leaves. Try different plants, colors, or stages of fall color change.
Step 2: Cut the Leaves
Cut or tear each leaf type into very small pieces. Keep different leaf types or colors in separate containers if you want to compare them.
Step 3: Crush the Leaves
Mash the leaf pieces thoroughly with the back of a spoon, muddler, or mortar and pestle. Breaking up the leaf tissue helps release more pigment.
Step 4: Add Rubbing Alcohol
Add enough rubbing alcohol to cover the crushed leaves. Continue pressing or stirring the leaves into the alcohol.
Step 5: Let the Pigments Extract
Allow the leaf mixture to sit until the alcohol becomes strongly colored. Crush the leaves well and allow extra soaking time to produce a stronger pigment solution.
Step 6: Prepare the Filter Paper
Cut coffee filters into narrow strips. Tape the top of each strip to a craft stick or pencil.
Step 7: Add the Paper
Place the strip in the jar so the bottom edge touches the liquid, but most of the paper stays above it. Rest the craft stick across the top of the container.
Step 8: Watch the Colors Move
Leave the strip in place as the liquid travels upward through the paper. Watch for bands or color changes.
Step 9: Examine Your Results
Remove the strip and allow it to dry. Use a magnifying glass to look closely at any different colors or pigment bands you can see.
Leaf Chromatography Results
Your results will vary depending on the type of leaf, its color, how much pigment you extracted, and how concentrated the leaf mixture is. Look for:
- How many colors appeared
- Which color traveled farthest
- Which colors stayed close together
- Differences between green and fall-colored leaves
- Differences between different types of trees or plants
💡 You may see several shades of green as well as yellow or orange pigments. Even when the colors are subtle, comparing several leaves can reveal interesting differences.
Why Do the Pigments Separate?
The pigments in the leaf mixture do not all interact with the alcohol and paper in exactly the same way.
As the liquid moves upward through the filter paper, some pigments travel farther than others. This separation produces the different colored areas you may see on the paper.
🔎 The more soluble a pigment is in the moving liquid, the farther it may travel under the experiment’s conditions.
Questions for Your Leaf Chromatography Lab
Use these questions to turn the activity into a simple investigation.
- What colors can you see on the filter paper?
- Which pigment traveled the farthest?
- Which stayed closest to the starting point?
- Do green leaves and fall leaves produce the same colors?
- Do different types of leaves give different results?
- What happens if you use more leaf material?
- Which leaf produced the clearest pigment bands?
Free Leaf Chromatography Science Lab
Want to turn this experiment into a more complete science investigation?
Grab the free Leaf Chromatography Science Lab with printable experiment directions, an observation page, and science investigation planning sheets.
Kids can record what colors they discover, compare their results, make predictions, and document what they learned about chromatography.
👉 Get the Free Leaf Chromatography Science Lab
Turn It Into a Science Project
Leaf chromatography works well as a comparison experiment because you can change one variable and observe the results. Try comparing:
- Green vs. Fall Leaves: Do leaves at different stages of color change show different pigments?
- Different Tree Species: Compare leaves from maple, oak, birch, or other trees available in your area.
- Different Leaf Colors: Compare green, yellow, orange, and red leaves.
- Amount of Leaf Material: Does using more crushed leaf material produce stronger colors?
🔎 Keep the amount of alcohol, filter paper size, and soaking time as consistent as possible when comparing samples. Use the Scientific Method for Kids to guide the project.
Why Do Plants Have Chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is a green pigment that helps plants absorb light energy for photosynthesis.
During photosynthesis, plants use light energy along with carbon dioxide and water to produce sugars they can use for growth.
👉 Explore photosynthesis for kids with our printable activities.
Learn More About Leaves
Continue your fall plant science with these easy investigations.
Leaf Veins
Explore leaf structure and how water moves through its veins.
Parts of a Leaf
Identify a leaf’s major structures with a printable diagram.
Why Do Leaves Change Color?
Find out what happens to leaf pigments as the seasons change.
How Do Plants Breathe?
Observe one way leaves interact with the surrounding air.
Leaf Art Projects
Combine science and nature with painting, printing, rubbing, and other fall leaf art.
Printable Plant and Leaf Project Pack
Explore 30+ plant and leaf activities for kindergarten through elementary, including printable science activities, experiments, and learning pages.
👉 Get the Plant and Leaf Project Pack
More to Explore
Spring Science Experiments | Fall Life Science Activities | Photosynthesis | Plant Activities | Leaf Art Projects
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