Chromatography/
Chlorophyll Lab
Introduction:
 Background : Leaves are green
because of the chlorophyll pigment
that you can see. It is involved in the
process of photosynthesis.
 However chlorophyll is not the only
pigment.
 Chromatography is the process that
will separate out all of the
:
 Purpose: What colors do you think the
leaves will have inside besides green?
 Hypothesis
 I think that the other pigments will be the
following colors:
 I think the green (chlorophyll) from the
Spinach Leaf will move to the (top/
middle/ or bottom) of the paper
because:……
Materials: (per group)
1. Chromatography paper
2. leaf
3. Alcohol (solvent)
4. Ruler
5. Test Tube
6. Coin
Procedures
 1. Take the chromatography paper and draw a
dot at 5 mm (1/2 cm) from the bottom.
 2. Put the spinach leaf on the line and roll a coin
back and forth in a straight line to squeeze the
juices (chlorophyll) out of the leaf onto the
paper.
(Repeat using more of the leaf if necessary)
Allow this to dry.
 3. Place the chromatography in the beaker so
that the alcohol is below this line.
 4. Remove the paper when the solvent reaches
the top.
Data
 Measure the
distance each
pigment
moved. From
the dot to
where the color
stops.
Substance/
Pigment
Solvent (clear)
Carotenes (yellow
and orange)
Lutein (gray)
Xantholphylls
(yellow)
Chlorophyll a (bluegreen)
Chlorophyll b
(yellow-green)
Distance
Moved
Data Analysis
 1. Which pigment seems to be the most
abundant judging by the darkest?
 2. Why do some pigments go farther than
others?
 3. Do you think the results would be the
same if you used a different kind of
green leaf and why?
Error Analysis
 Did you make any mistakes or
what could you do better next
time?
 What would you do differently
next time or what else would you
want to try?
Conclusion
 Where does chlorophyll
come from in the leaf?
 Why do leaves look green when there
are so many other colors in them?
 Why do leaves change colors in fall?
What do you think is happening.