ACTIVITY

NAME: DATE SUBMITTED:

STRAND & SECTION:

LABORATORY
Paper Chromatography

INTRODUCTION
Chromatography is a general technique employed to separate the components of a mixture based
on their relative solubility in two materials or phases that are set up to move past each other in essentially
opposite directions. One type of this technique is paper chromatography by which a homogeneous mixture
is made to travel through the material of a paper by capillary action. Capillary action is the ability of a liquid
to naturally ascend through a narrow tube. A suitable solvent serves as the mobile phase that carries the
mixture along the paper, which is the stationary phase. The solubility of the mixture components between
the mobile and stationary phases influences the degree of the separation of the components. The two
phases are usually chosen so that they have opposite relative polarities (that is, polar and nonpolar). The
components of the mixture that have similar polarity with the mobile phase travel with it during the
process, while those with similar polarity as the material of the paper are not carried as much. When the
mixture components separate, colored bands or spots form on the paper.

OBJECTIVE
Demonstrate the use of paper chromatography to separate out the colors in the ink of water
soluble markers.

MATERIALS
Pen/marker of different brands
Clear plastic tape
Solvents: water, alcohol, acetone
Pencil
Chromatography paper or ordinary filter paper (paper towel / tissue can be a substitute)
Ruler
Stick
3 clear containers

PROCEDURE
1. The chromatography paper is cut in about 2.5 x 10 cm strips. Along one of the shorter sides, draw a
horizontal line in pencil (lead will not move) about 1.5 cm from the edge of the strip. This will be
your “base line”, the starting line where the samples will be spotted.
Note: you can adjust the measurements of the strips and the baseline.
2. On the pencil line, place a small dot about 0.5 cm using a black felt-tip pen.
3. Add the desired solvent (e.g. water or alcohol) to the flask about 1 cm from the bottom. Make
sure that the filter paper touches the solvent but not enough to reach the ink dot.
 4. Place the filter paper in the flask with the dot down. Observe.
5. Take off the strips from the containers after 20 minutes. Measure the distance of the components
from the pencil line to the highest point it travels. Measure the distance of the solvent from the
pencil to the highest point it travels.
6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 using other brands of pen/marker with the same solvent. Compare results.
7. Repeat steps 1 to 5 using other solvents.
8. Paste your chromatogram in your lab sheet.

DATA AND RESULTS

After 20 minutes, remove the strips from their cups/beakers for observations. Write your
observations below to show any variations in color on your strips:
Pen/Marker Water Alcohol Acetone

1.

2.

3.

The Rf factor is a value that can be determined for each chemical by dividing the distance the color
moved by the distance the solvent moved. Determine the Rf for each of the pigments separated on your
papers. Expand the table if necessary:
Pen/Marker #1 A. Distance of ink B. Distance solvent Rf (A/B)
from pencil mark travelled through
(cm) paper (cm)

Water

Alcohol

Acetone
 Pen/Marker #2 A. Distance of ink B. Distance solvent Rf (A/B)
from pencil mark travelled through
(cm) paper (cm)

Water

Alcohol

Acetone

Pen/Marker #3 A. Distance of ink B. Distance solvent Rf (A/B)

from pencil mark travelled through
(cm) paper (cm)

Water

Alcohol

Acetone

Answer these questions:

1. How many colors are separated from the black ink?

2. What served as the solvent for the ink?

3. From the results, what can you conclude about black ink?

4. Why did the ink separate?

5. Why did some inks move a greater distance?