KIM3403

TUTORIAL 1
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

1. Define:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Chromatography
Chromatogram
Mobile phase
Stationary phase
(4 marks)

2. A burette packed with alumina powder (Al2O3) was used to separate the components
in a plant extract by chromatography. The alumina acts as the stationary phase and
water was used as the mobile phase.
A solution of the plant extract was placed at the top of the alumina and, once it had
been adsorbed, further water was added periodically. The components separated as
three coloured bands, as shown in the diagram below.

a) In which one of the three bands, A, B or C, was the components most strongly
adsorbed to the stationary phase?
(1 mark)

b) Band B starts to show signs of separating into two different bands just before it
emerges from the bottom of the burette. Give one possible modification that could be
made to this experiment to more effectively separate band B into its separate
components.
(2 marks)

3.

The following data came from a chromatogram of a four-component mixture on 10-cm

packed reversed phase liquid chromatography column. The flow rate of the mobile phase
was 1 mL/min.

(Data berikut didapati dari kromatogram bagi campuran empat komponen melalui turus
padatan kromatografi fasa berbalik sepanjang 10 cm. Kadar aliran fasa gerak adalah 1
mL/min.)
Component
Non-retained
A
B
C
D

Retention Time (min)

Width of Peak Base (min)

1.45
3.0
3.5
5.0
6.0

0.25
0.29
0.42
0.48

a) Calculate the average number of plates for the column.

(Hitungkan purata bilangan plat bagi turus tersebut.)

(6 marks)
b) Determine the plate height for the column.

(Tentukan ketinggian plat bagi turus tersebut.)

(2 marks)
c) Which peaks are better resolved? A and B or C and D?

(Pemisahan antara puncak yang manakah lebih baik? Puncak A dan B atau puncak C dan
D?)
(5 marks)

SUBMISSION DATE: 10 OCT 2016, DURING CLASS.