SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY LABORATORY HIGH SCHOOL – SENIOR HIGH

GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1
A

Name: _______________________________ Grade & Section: _________________

First Semester, 1st Grading Score: _________________________

Performance Check # 1 (Module 1)

Part 2( 30 points )
Performance: 10 points
Laboratory Reports: 20 points

SEPARATION TECHNIQUES

Objective: To demonstrate how to separate the components of a mixture by chromatography and distillation.

A. DETECTION OF GLUTAMATE IN CANNED FOODS BY PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY

I. Reagents and Apparatus:

0.03 M solution of Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
50% ethanol
0.25% Ninhydrin
Canned Food with MSG
Canned Food without MSG
3 pcs. Whatman No. 1 filter paper (12 cm long strips, 1.5 cm wide)
3 Capillary tubes
3 test tubes with corks
Hot plate
3 Big paper clips
Ruler
Pencil
4 pcs short bond paper
Gloves
Scissors

II. PROCEDURE
1. Cut a strip of Whatman No. 1 filter paper, 12 by 1.5 cm being careful not to handle the paper
unnecessarily. The paper is tapered at one end. It would be best to prepare a pattern from ordinary
white paper first before cutting out the actual filter paper.

2. Draw a light pencil line across the paper about 1 cm from the tapered end, and another one about 1.5
cm from other end. Pierce this end with an opened paper clip and insert the clip into a cork which fits
into the test tube. The paper strip should hang straight, without its sides touching the walls of the test
tube..

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GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1
A

3. With the aid of a fine capillary tube, quickly and gently apply the following samples to the pencil line
( center of the circle) on the tapered end. Only one sample is applied to each filter paper strip. The
paper strip itself should be supported on another sheet of clean white paper, with the tapered end free
of the table top.
A. 0.03 M solution of Monosodium glutamate
B. canned Food # 1
C. canned Food # 2

Dry thoroughly between applications if it is necessary to apply more. Finally, dry all spots.

4. Place 2 mL of 50% ethanol into the empty test tube, using a pipette or a long-tipped dropper to avoid
wetting the walls of the test tube.

5. Lower the paper strip slowly into the test tube containing the solvent. Support the test tube in a test
tube rack such that it remains upright and refrain from moving it after the insertion of the paper strip.

6. When the solvent has moved up to the pencil mark on the other end of the strip, remove the paper from
the test tube.

7. Dry the paper over a hot plate, then spray it with 0.25% ninhydrin solutionin water saturated with
butanol. Dry over a hot plate and cicle the colored spot with a pencil.

8. In each case, measure the distance travelled by the solvent and the distance travelled by
thesamplefrom the point of origin.Calculate the Rf value (rate of flow) of each sample using the formula:

distance travelled by the sample

Rf =
distance travelled by the solvent

III. SET-UP:

Measure the distance travelled by

substance by going from the
center of the spot to the origin

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GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1
A

Measure the distance from the baseline to the solvent front. (which must be marked immediately
after the paper is removed from the beaker, because it may be nearly invisible after the solvent
evaporates).

IV. Data & Results

Sample Color of spot formed Distance Travelled R f Value

by each sample
1.MSG

2.Canned food #1

3.Canned food # 2

Distance travelled by solvent: _______________

Compare the R f values of the 3 samples. Which canned food contains glutamate?

V. Computations:

VI. Photodocumentation
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means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise of any part of this document, without the prior written permission of SLU, is strictly prohibited.
 SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY LABORATORY HIGH SCHOOL – SENIOR HIGH

GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1
A

VII. Questions:
1. Define or describe each of the following terms:
a) Chromatography

b) stationary phase

c) mobile phase

d) Chromatogram

e) Adsorbent

2. Give three (3) applications of chromatography.

3. What is the basis for the separation of components of mixtures by paper chromatography?

4. What is the significance of Rf values?

5. Why is pencil used ( not a pen ) in marking the area where the canned food spots are to be
placed??

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GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1
A

6. Why can’t the chromatography paper touch the sides of the beaker?

6. Why is glutamate added to canned foods?

VIII. Photodocumentation

B. DISTILLATION

I. Reagents and Apparatus:

Bunsen Burner 2 Iron clamp
Distilling flash Erlenmeyer flask
Condenser 2 Iron stand
Adapter Iron ring
Thermometer 50% ethyl alcohol
2 Rubber tubings

Procedure
1. Set up the distillation system. Connect the inlet of the condenser to the water source/tap and
ensure that the outlet of the condenser attached to the rubber tubing is positioned directly to the
sink. Connect the condenser with the 250-mL Erlenmeyer flask using a glass adapter.
2. Carefully pour 100 mL of 50% ethyl alcohol into the distilling flask and Add some boiling chips.
Cover the distilling flask with a cork with hole. Insert a thermometer into the hole to monitor the
temperature.Make sure that the tip of the thermometer is positioned to the condenser.
3. Clamp the distilling flask and carefully attached to the condenser. Start boiling the liquid by
placing the Bunsen burner below the distilling flask.
4. Boil the solution at 78oC and collect 5 mL of the distillate in the Erlenmeyer flask. Peform the
combustibility test.
5. Be sure to check the following details:
A. The top of the thermometer bulb should extend just below the side arm of the distilling
flask so that the entire mercury bulb is bathed in the rising vapor.
B. The side arm should extend beyond the end of the cork into the top of the condenser
and the tip of the condenser should extend beyond the cork in the adapter.
C. Do not connect the lower end of the adapter to the receiver with a cork. This will create a
closed system, and an explosion might occur when the system is heated.
D. Circulate water through the condenser prior to distillation. Water enters the lower portion
of the condenser and exits from the upper portion.
6. Dissolve the distillate with tap water, and discard it in the waste container.

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GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1
A

II. OBSERVATION: Result of the combustibility test.

III. QUESTIONS

1. The entire mercury bulb of the thermometer must be below the level of the side-arm in order to
obtain an accurate reading of the distillation temperature. Why is this so?

2. Why is cold water circulated through the condenser from the bottom rather than from the top?

3. What is the use of boiling chips?

IV. Draw the distillation set-up and label the parts.

Performance Scoring Rubric:

Criteria 5 3 2
Set-up and
❖ All equipment ❖ Set-up of equipment ❖ Set-up of equipment
equipment
Care accurately placed is generally accurate is not accurate, help
with 1 or 2 small is required with
details that need several major details
❖ Very neat and
refinement
organized
Following
❖ Demonstrates ❖ Demonstrates general ❖ Lacks the
Procedure
correctly the lab knowledge of the appropriate
procedures laboratory procedure knowledge of the lab
procedures
❖ Thoroughly and
carefully follows ❖ Requires help from
each step before teachers with some ❖ Often requires help
moving on to the steps in procedures from the teachers to
next step even complete basic
procedures

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means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise of any part of this document, without the prior written permission of SLU, is strictly prohibited.