Timeline & plan
Gantt chart of my chromatography practical
Day 1-14 3-10-22 4-10-22 6-10-22 10-10- 11-10- 13-10- 17-10- 18-10- 19-10-
10:00- 9:00 9:00 22 22 22 22 22 22
11:00 11:10 11:00 10:00 9:00 9:00 10:00 11:15 09:00
11:00 11:00 11:00 11:00 13:15 1100
Introduction+
Background
research
Receiving
equipment
Labelling
equipment
Carried out
practical 1
Typing up
assignment
While waiting
for results
Results came
made
adaptations
Practical 2
Started
packing away
Equipment
Etc.
Made final
changes in
methods…
Finishing
coursework…
, Detailed method
Are expensive felt tip pens different from the cheaper brands?
Aim: The aim of this activity is to separate the pen pigments using paper chromatography
Overview:
The experiment involves three stages
- Make dots using the expensive & inexpensive pen
- Set up a paper chromatography run
- Attempt to identify the separate pigments
Equipment:
1. 9 chromatography beakers
2. 9 Chromatography papers (big enough to fit the chromatography beaker)
3. Pencil
4. 9 wooden splints
5. 9 paper clips
6. A ruler (30 cm)
7. measuring cylinders with scales (50 ml^3)
8. scissor
9. Acetone (50 ml^3)
10. Glass plates that Is enough to cover 9 chromatography beakers each.
11. 6 Black Felt-tip pens from different brands
METHOD FOR PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY SEPARATION
Method:
1. Prepare the chromatography paper by cutting a strip using scissors or a ruler that is a
bit longer than the beaker & will not touch the sides. Stand the paper in the beaker &
fold the top of the paper over the edge of the beaker so that it supports itself (2x
expensive & inexpensive pens).
2. Make a small lid for the beaker using aluminium foil
3. Draw a pencil line 3 cm from the bottom of the chromatography paper. Write your
name at the top of the paper in pencil (for the expensive & inexpensive pens).
4. In the middle put a spot on the chromatography paper for how many times needed
for it to be concentrated & before applying make sure its dry (depending how
concentrated the spot is).
5. Measure out using a measuring cylinder 20ml of acetone & 30ml of distilled water.
6. Pour the chromatography solvent into the beaker with a stirring rod (2x expensive &
inexpensive pens).
7. Stand the paper in the beaker ensuring the spot is not in the solvent
8. Place the aluminium lid on the beakers and fold it down to give a good seal.
9. Allow the solvent to climb the chromatography paper until within 1 cm of the top. If
you, can it is a good idea to photograph the progress (expensive & inexpensive
pens).
10. Remove the chromatograms from the beaker & mark the position of the solvent front
in pencil until the finished
11. Ring each spot on the chromatograms with a pencil to mark its position, as the spots
will fade with time. Also, next to each spot write its colour.
12. Measure the distance in (mm) from the starting line to the solvent front.
13. Measure the distance in (mm) of each spot from the starting line.
14. Calculate the Rf value for each spot. Record your results.
, 15. Measure the distance in (mm) of each spot from the starting line.
16. Calculate the Rf value for each spot. Record your results.
Adaptations made from the original method:
1. At first me and my partner were using a diluted solution which consisted of 30ml of water
and 20ml of acetone. As time went by, we discovered that the solution was given off
results we weren’t satisfied with. So, we had to adapt somehow and made some changes.
We came up with a stronger solution which consisted of a 100% acetone (50ml) instead of
having 30ml of water and 20ml of acetone. As soon as we made this change, we saw
immediate improvements within the method.
2. The second change we made is at first, we used plastic lids in order to cover the
chromatography beaker, so the solutions don’t dissolve. As we used this method it still
seemed like liquid was dissolving it was also very awkward placing the plastic lid on top,
so we decided to make a change by using aluminon foil. Aluminium was a very good
adaptation since its very thin which allowed us to put it into shape and use it as a lid.
Logbook
03/10/22- introduction as well as background information regarding the practical
Gantt chart of my chromatography practical
Day 1-14 3-10-22 4-10-22 6-10-22 10-10- 11-10- 13-10- 17-10- 18-10- 19-10-
10:00- 9:00 9:00 22 22 22 22 22 22
11:00 11:10 11:00 10:00 9:00 9:00 10:00 11:15 09:00
11:00 11:00 11:00 11:00 13:15 1100
Introduction+
Background
research
Receiving
equipment
Labelling
equipment
Carried out
practical 1
Typing up
assignment
While waiting
for results
Results came
made
adaptations
Practical 2
Started
packing away
Equipment
Etc.
Made final
changes in
methods…
Finishing
coursework…
, Detailed method
Are expensive felt tip pens different from the cheaper brands?
Aim: The aim of this activity is to separate the pen pigments using paper chromatography
Overview:
The experiment involves three stages
- Make dots using the expensive & inexpensive pen
- Set up a paper chromatography run
- Attempt to identify the separate pigments
Equipment:
1. 9 chromatography beakers
2. 9 Chromatography papers (big enough to fit the chromatography beaker)
3. Pencil
4. 9 wooden splints
5. 9 paper clips
6. A ruler (30 cm)
7. measuring cylinders with scales (50 ml^3)
8. scissor
9. Acetone (50 ml^3)
10. Glass plates that Is enough to cover 9 chromatography beakers each.
11. 6 Black Felt-tip pens from different brands
METHOD FOR PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY SEPARATION
Method:
1. Prepare the chromatography paper by cutting a strip using scissors or a ruler that is a
bit longer than the beaker & will not touch the sides. Stand the paper in the beaker &
fold the top of the paper over the edge of the beaker so that it supports itself (2x
expensive & inexpensive pens).
2. Make a small lid for the beaker using aluminium foil
3. Draw a pencil line 3 cm from the bottom of the chromatography paper. Write your
name at the top of the paper in pencil (for the expensive & inexpensive pens).
4. In the middle put a spot on the chromatography paper for how many times needed
for it to be concentrated & before applying make sure its dry (depending how
concentrated the spot is).
5. Measure out using a measuring cylinder 20ml of acetone & 30ml of distilled water.
6. Pour the chromatography solvent into the beaker with a stirring rod (2x expensive &
inexpensive pens).
7. Stand the paper in the beaker ensuring the spot is not in the solvent
8. Place the aluminium lid on the beakers and fold it down to give a good seal.
9. Allow the solvent to climb the chromatography paper until within 1 cm of the top. If
you, can it is a good idea to photograph the progress (expensive & inexpensive
pens).
10. Remove the chromatograms from the beaker & mark the position of the solvent front
in pencil until the finished
11. Ring each spot on the chromatograms with a pencil to mark its position, as the spots
will fade with time. Also, next to each spot write its colour.
12. Measure the distance in (mm) from the starting line to the solvent front.
13. Measure the distance in (mm) of each spot from the starting line.
14. Calculate the Rf value for each spot. Record your results.
, 15. Measure the distance in (mm) of each spot from the starting line.
16. Calculate the Rf value for each spot. Record your results.
Adaptations made from the original method:
1. At first me and my partner were using a diluted solution which consisted of 30ml of water
and 20ml of acetone. As time went by, we discovered that the solution was given off
results we weren’t satisfied with. So, we had to adapt somehow and made some changes.
We came up with a stronger solution which consisted of a 100% acetone (50ml) instead of
having 30ml of water and 20ml of acetone. As soon as we made this change, we saw
immediate improvements within the method.
2. The second change we made is at first, we used plastic lids in order to cover the
chromatography beaker, so the solutions don’t dissolve. As we used this method it still
seemed like liquid was dissolving it was also very awkward placing the plastic lid on top,
so we decided to make a change by using aluminon foil. Aluminium was a very good
adaptation since its very thin which allowed us to put it into shape and use it as a lid.
Logbook
03/10/22- introduction as well as background information regarding the practical
