Experiment 2: Paper chromatography
Evaluate the chromatographic techniques you have used in relation to the outcomes.
Aim: the aim of this investigation (practical) is to determine the Rf value of blank ink against
another colour.
Reference 1 and 2-
Apparatus- Justification -
Beaker (50 ml) To measure the 20 ml of water that we use.
Paper clip To keep the chromatography paper and
wooden splint together.
Chromatography paper Required for the practical
Water (20 ml) Required for the practical.
Wooden splint Needed to keep the chromatography paper
upright.
Pencil and ruler Needed to draw a one cm line from the
bottom of the chromatography paper .
3 different coloured pens(blue, black and Required for the practical, to see the
purple were the ones that I used) mixtures in their inks .
Variables -
Control variable - The volume of water which
is 20 ml3 .
Dependent variable- The Rf values.
Independent variable- The different colours of
inks.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Level of Risk Hazards Precautions
High The pencil and the ruler used may be Make sure to use a plastic ruler and a
really sharp therefore causing cuts on mechanical pencil to reduce the possibility of a
the person dealing with them. cut.
Medium Beakers are fragile and can break Check if there are any broken glassware before
easily. starting the practical.
Low Slips and confusion can happen if any Make sure you transfer solutions carefully from
solution is spilt around the one place to another using a pipette. If there is a
surroundings. spillage, then use a paper towel to dry the
surrounding.
Risk assessment-
Reference 4-
Method –
1. Firstly, I drew a line on my chromatography paper with a pencil and ruler about 3 cm
up the paper.
2. After I got 3 different coloured pens one which had to be black ink as I wanted to see
which of the other two colours had similar mixtures of inks.
3. After I will have to measure 10 cm3 of acetone into a measuring cylinder and then
poured the acetone into a beaker.
, 4. Then I will have to get a splint and put it at the end of the chromatography paper and
then I placed a paper clip in the middle of it to secure it.
5. After this I placed the chromatography paper into the beaker containing the acetone
and placed it so that the spots of ink don’t touch the acetone but a bit under the dots of
inks.
6. I then waited until the inks separate which could take up to a few minutes. After it had
mostly separated, I will mark the place where the solvent has gone up to.
7. Then I will put my chromatography paper on a dry towel and wait for a few
minutes till the paper air dry’s.
8. After this I will measure the Rf value of each of the inks that I have plotted .
Here are some of the pictures that I took during the practical:
Here I can be seen dotting my
three different colours on the
This picture shows the
line I drew on the
apparatus that I used during
the practical. chromatography paper.
This is when I put my This is the end result of the
chromatography paper in the chromatography experiment
acetone for the inks to where the inks in the mixture
separate. have separated.
Evaluate the chromatographic techniques you have used in relation to the outcomes.
Aim: the aim of this investigation (practical) is to determine the Rf value of blank ink against
another colour.
Reference 1 and 2-
Apparatus- Justification -
Beaker (50 ml) To measure the 20 ml of water that we use.
Paper clip To keep the chromatography paper and
wooden splint together.
Chromatography paper Required for the practical
Water (20 ml) Required for the practical.
Wooden splint Needed to keep the chromatography paper
upright.
Pencil and ruler Needed to draw a one cm line from the
bottom of the chromatography paper .
3 different coloured pens(blue, black and Required for the practical, to see the
purple were the ones that I used) mixtures in their inks .
Variables -
Control variable - The volume of water which
is 20 ml3 .
Dependent variable- The Rf values.
Independent variable- The different colours of
inks.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Level of Risk Hazards Precautions
High The pencil and the ruler used may be Make sure to use a plastic ruler and a
really sharp therefore causing cuts on mechanical pencil to reduce the possibility of a
the person dealing with them. cut.
Medium Beakers are fragile and can break Check if there are any broken glassware before
easily. starting the practical.
Low Slips and confusion can happen if any Make sure you transfer solutions carefully from
solution is spilt around the one place to another using a pipette. If there is a
surroundings. spillage, then use a paper towel to dry the
surrounding.
Risk assessment-
Reference 4-
Method –
1. Firstly, I drew a line on my chromatography paper with a pencil and ruler about 3 cm
up the paper.
2. After I got 3 different coloured pens one which had to be black ink as I wanted to see
which of the other two colours had similar mixtures of inks.
3. After I will have to measure 10 cm3 of acetone into a measuring cylinder and then
poured the acetone into a beaker.
, 4. Then I will have to get a splint and put it at the end of the chromatography paper and
then I placed a paper clip in the middle of it to secure it.
5. After this I placed the chromatography paper into the beaker containing the acetone
and placed it so that the spots of ink don’t touch the acetone but a bit under the dots of
inks.
6. I then waited until the inks separate which could take up to a few minutes. After it had
mostly separated, I will mark the place where the solvent has gone up to.
7. Then I will put my chromatography paper on a dry towel and wait for a few
minutes till the paper air dry’s.
8. After this I will measure the Rf value of each of the inks that I have plotted .
Here are some of the pictures that I took during the practical:
Here I can be seen dotting my
three different colours on the
This picture shows the
line I drew on the
apparatus that I used during
the practical. chromatography paper.
This is when I put my This is the end result of the
chromatography paper in the chromatography experiment
acetone for the inks to where the inks in the mixture
separate. have separated.
