The Physics of Trees

Have you ever wondered about why certain trees only grow so tall or why some trees have giant leaves while others have small leaves? Turns out, it’s physics.

 

Recent studies at University of California, Davis, and Harvard University published in this week’s issue of the journal Physical Review Letters explain that leaf size and tree height have to do with the branching vascular system that nourishes the tree from leaf to trunk. To read more about the physics of trees and how they work, you can read the full study synopsis on the UCD website.