Chromatography

Question 1

What is chromatography?

Answer 1

Literally means coloured writing. The seperations of the materials in a mixture. Used everyday by chemists. Two phases, mobile phase and stationery.

Question 2

Step 1:

Answer 2

(Stionery phase) on the chromatography paper start by drawing a base line, using a pencil not pen(colours of the pen might leak into the mobile phase. Measure 2cm from the base of the paper (straight line). Evenly markout the 4 areas

Question 3

Step 2:

Answer 3

Now it’s time to add the colourings to the base line

Question 4

Step 3:

Answer 4

Using a capillary tube take a little dab or spec of the colour, then add it to the base line where you marked the individual spot for each colour.

Question 5

Step 4:

Answer 5

Using a small rod, roll the paper using the rod so that the paper can be suspended over the beaker and let the water barely touch the chromatography paper

Question 6

Step 5:

Answer 6

Now we record the data. You need to calculate the retention factor (RF). If the dye doesn’t move very fsr it prefers stationery, if it moved further up the paper it likes to be mobile

Question 7

Step 6:

Answer 7

Calculation for rf value is
Rf value=spot distance over solvent distance