What often happens to a solution's color as a reaction proceeds?

As a reaction proceeds, the color can change due to the formation of new products. Many chemical reactions involve the conversion of reactants into products, which can have different chemical structures and, consequently, different colors. For instance, if a colored reactant is transformed into a product that is either a different color or colorless, this will lead to a visible change in the solution's color.

This change in color is often used as an indicator of the progression of the reaction. In many cases, the initial reactants may have distinctive colors that diminish as they are converted into products, or the formation of a new colored product can indicate that progress is being made. Hence, observing the transition in color can provide valuable information about the state of the reaction and its completion. Understanding these dynamics is crucial in organic chemistry when analyzing reaction mechanisms and kinetics.