Lab 13

Date: 17th March, 2017.

Due: 21st March, 2017

Skill Assessed: ORR

Title: Chromatography

Aim: To separate the components present in green food dye using paper and thin layer
chromatography.

Apparatus/ materials: 100 ml beakers (2), filter paper strips (2), Silica plates (2), petri dish or
watch glass (4), green food dye, ruler, pencil, paper clips, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and
ammonia solvent, micropipettes

Method:

1. Obtain 2 filter paper strips and 2 silica plates.

2. Take one strip, measure 1cm in from the short side and draw a line parallel to the edge of
the paper, using a pencil. Repeat this procedure on the other short side.

3. Using a pencil, label one of the lines solvent front and the other base line.

4. Repeat steps 2-3 on the other filter paper strip.

5. Take one of the silica strips and measure 1 cm from the short side as with the filter paper.
Carefully draw a line parallel to the edge using a pencil.

6. On one of the filter paper strips, use a micropipette to make a dot in the center of the base
line using the green food dye. Allow the dot to dry, and then re-apply the dye if the dot
isnt sufficiently visible. (do not make the dot too large!)

7. Repeat step 5 on the remaining strip of filter paper and the 2 silica plates.

8. Pour ethanol in one beaker and the ammonia: isopropyl mixture in the other to just cover
the bottom of the beakers.

9. Place the filter strips and silica plates in an upright position in the beakers (1 strip filter
paper and one silica plate to 1 beaker). Cover the beaker with a watch glass or petri dish.

10. Allow the solvent to move up the filter strip until it reaches the solvent front line.

11. Remove the filter strip and allow it to air dry.

 12. Using a pencil, circle the different components seen from each food dye

13. Measure the distance from the base line to the solvent line and record the value.

14. Measure the distance from the base line to the centre of each circled component and
record the value.

Results:

Stick two of the actual chromatograms in your lab book (one of the filter paper and the
other of the silica plate) and make drawings of the other two chromatograms. Label the
various components and draw lines to show how Rf values were calculated.
Chromatograms must have a title.

Record measurements in a suitable table

Calculations: Calculate the Rf value for each component. (Note you can give a sample
calculation and record the other values in a suitable table).

Discussion:

Include

What is chromatograpy?

The two broad types of chromatography and indicate the type that paper and thin layer fall under.

Compare and contrast thin layer and paper chromatoghaphy

Discuss results in terms of what Rf values obtained tell about the nature of the components of the
dye based on your knowledge of the polarity of the mobile and stationary phases.

Sources of errors/ limitations

Conclusion