Paper chromatography Experiment
junha.choi
9.2
Objective: Which solvent separate colors best?
Hypothesis: I predicted that Alcohol generally works much better as an all around solvent due to
its mild polarity and organic functional groups.
Variables:
Independent variable: Water, salt water, white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, ammonia, Methylene
chloride.
Dependent variable: Separated colors
Control variable: The amount of the green marker, the amount of each solvent.
Materials required for experiment:
1. 250 ml Beaker (6)
2. Salt 1 tbsp
3. White vinegar
4. Rubbing Alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)
5. Purple marker
6. Fingernail polish remover (acetone)
7. Ammonia
8. Methylene Chloride
Method:





Cut the filter paper and make it shape narrow
Use a purple marker to draw a line across the bottom of the strip.
Fill the beaker with 100 ml of solvent.
Hang the strip with the tip just in the water.
Bend the top of the filter paper over the rim of the beaker and secure it with tape.


Record your observations.
Do this process with different solvents
2.5
2.1
TISSUE PAPER
2
1.55
1.5
1
0.95
1
0.5
0.4
0.5
Yellow
0.45
0 0
Blue
0 0
0
0
Vinegar
Salt water
Acetone
Alcohol
Ammonia
Water
TISSUE PAPER
Solvents:
Vinegar
Salt Water
Acetone
Alcohol
Ammonia
Water
Blue (cm)
0
1
0.4
0.45
0
0
Yellow (cm)
0
1.55
0.5
2.1
0
0.95
NORMAL PAPER
1
0.8
0.6
Blue
0.4
Yellow
0.2
0
Vinegar
Salt Water
Acetone
Alcohol
Ammonia
Water
NORMAL PAPER
Solvents:
Vinegar
Salt Water
Acetone
Alcohol
Blue (cm)
0
0
0
0
Yellow (cm)
0
0
0
0
Ammonia
Water
3.5
0
0
0
0
3.3
FILTER PAPER
3
2.5
2.1
2
1.5
1.45
1.25
Blue
0.8
1
Yellow
0.35
0.5
0 0
0 0
Salt Water
Acetone
0 0
0
Vinegar
Alcohol
Ammonia
Water
FILTER PAPER
Solvents:
Vinegar
Salt Water
Acetone
Alcohol
Ammonia
Water
Conclusion
Blue (cm)
1.25
0
0
0.35
0.8
0
Yellow(cm)
3.3
0
0
2.1
1.45
0
In this paper chromatography I thought that the paper chromatography only works in filter paper, but
soon I was wrong It also worked in tissue paper, even though it was only a bit. In the filter paper and
tissue paper, I also found that the yellow always gets higher than the blue. The paper tissue I think that
it is because the tissue paper is thinner than the other papers that we have used. Also I found that the
alcohol showed the highest result. We had lots of fun doing it.