Why is the grass green?

Why is the grass green? Why isn't it purple, instead? Or orange? What about multi-colored grass? That sounds like it would be a lot of fun. Is there any good reason why it needs to be green instead of polka-dotted??!

The reason grass and many other plants are green is because they contain an important chemical called chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll appears green when we look at it because of the way the energies of light are reflected and absorbed by it. Reds and blues are absorbed, while green is reflected! It's because plants like grass are so full of chlorophyll that they appear green, too!

Grass and trees need chlorophyll to help them make food for themselves using only water, sunlight, and air, a process known as "photosynthesis." If it weren't for the chlorophyll, plants wouldn't be able to make enough food for themselves, so the grass and trees are probably pretty happy being green!

by Mya Kagan (Whyzz writer)