Experiment 3
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Name:_____________________ Lab ID: ____________
Experiment 3 – Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Food Dyes
Discussion Questions
1. Explain why the following experimental errors would affect your results.
a. Not wiping the vials before putting them in the Microlab box.
b. Using a graduated cylinder to make the diluted solutions.
c. Leaving the final drop of solution in the serological pipet.
d. Not putting the black cap over the vial when collecting data from the Microlab box.
Experiment 3
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2. Explain why you cannot use the coloured solutions separated on the chromatography column to
determine the amount of dyes in the powdered beverage.
3. Why is the mobile phase extracted from the column between the two dyes discarded?
4. How do you quantitatively prepare a 50% dilution of your 50 mL unknown drink for the beers law
measurement?