Paper Chromatography Lab

This lab is to be completed in pairs, one report per group

1. Look at the "lab report format" link to see how a science lab report should be organized

2. Set up the chromatography apparatus as outlined in fig 1.7 of Nelson Chemistry. Create a "MAP" of the ink locations.

3. Be sure to create a "MAP" of your ink locations in the observation section of the lab report and indicate both on your map and on your filter paper which is the "TOP"

4. Fill the information below into your lab reports

Purpose: to determine the number of pigments present in a variety of ink samples

Materials: refer to inv. 1.3, Nelson Chemistry, BC edition. Jenkins et al.

Procedure:  refer to inv. 1.3, Nelson Chemistry, BC edition. Jenkins et al.

5. Complete the following pre lab questions on a piece of paper separate from your lab report.

a) Assuming that all the ink samples used are mixtures, what type of mixtures are they?

b) How does paper chromatography separate the components of a mixture?

c) Why was it important to use water soluble markers in this experiment?

6. Draw the table below beside the map in the observation section of your lab report.

7. If time remains and the water has still not spread to within 1 cm of the edge of the paper, continue to fill in the summary table from yesterdays lesson on separation techniques.

8. Once the filter paper has been saturated to within a cm of the edge, complete the discussion questions below either in the discussion section of your report or below the prelab questions

a) Which ink sample had the greatest number of pigments?

b) Were there any ink samples that only had one pigment? If so, which colour was it?

c) What does having only one pigment tell you about that ink sample?

d) Which pigment was most commonly the heaviest? The lightest?

 Please hand in the completed lab report along with pre lab and discussion questions.