Paper chromatography

Question 1

what is paper chromatography used for?

Answer 1

to separate substances based off their solubility

Question 2

what is the stationary phase

Answer 2

this is what doesn’t move eg the paper

Question 3

what is the mobile phase

Answer 3

what moves up the stationary phase eg the solvent

Question 4

how will a pure substance look in paper chromatography

Answer 4

produces a single spot in all solvents

Question 5

how will a compound look in paper chromatography

Answer 5

separates into different spots

Question 6

why do we draw the starting line with a pencil

Answer 6

its insoluble and will not move up the paper

Question 7

if a substance is more soluble does it travel higher up the paper or lower?

Answer 7

higher

Question 8

how do we measure rf value?

Answer 8

distance moved by substance/ distance moved by solvent

Question 9

how would we carry out paper chromatography?

Answer 9

1. draw the starting line with pencil
2. put a small dot of the compound on the line
3. fill a beaker with shallow solvent, paper shouldn’t be touching the sides and starting line shouldn’t touch solvent
4. add lid to avoid evaporation
5. let the solvent travel up 3/4 of the paper then remove it and calculate rf values