Did you know that you can tell how old a tree is by looking at the rings on its trunk? Rings are irregularly shaped circles you see on the stump of a tree that has been cut down. As a tree gets taller, it also gets wider, and each year that a tree grows outward is marked by a ring. A year with a good growing season leaves a thicker ring than a year that is too dry or cold. From the size of tree rings, scientists can tell what the climate was like years and years ago. This winter, the next time you help your friends or family build a fire in the fireplace, take a look at the rings on the end of the large pieces of wood stumps to see how old the tree was that the wood came from.
Did you know that you can tell how old a tree is by looking at the rings on its trunk? Rings are irregularly shaped circles you see on the stump of a tree that has been cut down. As a tree gets taller, it also gets wider, and each year that a tree grows outward is marked by a ring. A year with a good growing season leaves a thicker ring than a year that is too dry or cold. From the size of tree rings, scientists can tell what the climate was like years and years ago. This winter, the next time you help your friends or family build a fire in the fireplace, take a look at the rings on the end of the large pieces of wood stumps to see how old the tree was that the wood came from.
