MoDERN AMERICAN SCHOOL

Accredited by the American Agency ADVANC-ED (Advancing Excellence in Education World Wide)
Accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI)

Science Department 2019/2020

ACT Practice Subject: Physics

Student's Name:
Teacher's Name: Basema Hamdan
Grade: 11 &12AHDP Date: / / 2020

Passage V

Paper chromatography can be used to identify metal ions in wastewater. A drop of

sample solution is placed on filter paper. The bottom of the paper is set in a solvent
that travels up the paper (see Figure 1).

The solvent carries the ions up the paper. Some ions move faster, and therefore
farther than others, resulting in a separation as they move up the paper. The paper is
dried, then stained, causing the ions to appear as colored spots. Rf values are
calculated for each spot:

Table 1 shows Rf values for 5 ions. Table 2 shows Rf values from 3 samples of
wastewater. The same solvent was used for all ions and samples.

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 Table 1

Distance traveled Molar mass

Spot color Rf Ion
(cm) (g/mole)
pink 0.08 0.8 58.7 Nickel(N2+)
brown-black 0.35 3.5 58.9 Cobalt(Co2+)
blue 0.60 6.0 63.5 Copper(Cu2+)
yellow 0.78 7.8 112.4 Cadmium(Cd2+)
brown-black 0.95 9.5 200.6 Mercury(Hg2+)

Table 2

Sampl
Spot color Rf
e
blue 0.60
1
yellow 0.78
brown-black 0.35
2
brown-black 0.95
pink 0.08

yellow 0.78 3

brown-black 0.95

Note: Samples contain only the metal ions listed in Table 1.

ACT Questions
1. The information in Tables 1 and 2 supports the conclusion that
Sample 3 contains:

A. Cu +2 and Cd +2

B. Co+2 and Hg+2

C. Ni+2, Co+2, and Cd +2only.

D. Ni +2 , Cd +2, and Hg+2 only

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 2. Based on the information in Tables 1 and 2, one can conclude that
Sample 2 contains:

E. 1 metal ion only.

F. 2 metal ions only.

G. either 1 or 2 metal ions.

H. more than 2 metal ions.

3. Based on the information in Table 1, which of the following lists the

metal ions in order from the fastest to slowest speed with which they
moved up the paper?

A. Hg+2 , Cd +2, Cu+2, Co+2, Ni+2.

B. Cd+2 , Cu +2, Co+2, Hg+2, Ni+2.

C. Ni+2 , Hg +2, Co+2, Cu+2, Cd+2.

D. Ni+2 , Co +2, Cu+2, Cd+2, Hg+2.

4. Based on the information in Table 2, which of the following figures best

illustrates the appearance of the filter paper after Sample 1 was analyzed?

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 E.

F.

G.

5. Based on the information in Table 1, to best identify a metal ion using

paper chromatography, one should know the:

spot color for the ion only.

A. distance the solvent traveled only.
B. Rf value and spot color for the ion only.
C. distance the solvent traveled and spot color of the ion only.