Name: Javier, Llyod Genelson B.

Grade and Section: 11 STEM 5

PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY

I. Background and Notes:

Different molecules exert different forces of attraction on each other resulting in
different solubilities within different solvents. These solubility differences make it possible
to separate mixtures into their separate components.
Chromatography relies on two phases, stationary and mobile. The separation of a
mixture is based on a difference in the degree of attraction between the components and
the stationary and mobile phases. In paper chromatography, the stationary phase is the
paper and the mobile phase is the solvent either water or alcohol.
In this activity, students with use two solvents to separate ink into their different
components.
II. Knowledge and skills:
• Students should be able to distinguish between stationary and mobile phases and
calculate the Rf values for the different components separated.
• Students should know the terms: polar, nonpolar, hydrophilic, hydrophobic,
homogeneous, heterogeneous, solvents, and Rf
III. Objectives
• To separate components of inks or dyes by their different polarities.
IV. Materials
Equipment

• Paper
• Pencil
• Tape
• Ruler
• Beaker
• Cover
• 2 types of Ink

Reagent

• Water
• Alcohol (Note the concentration and type of alcohol)
V. Procedure (one paper into one beaker of solvent)
• Cut appropriate size chromatography paper (1 inch by 5 inches), handle by the edges

• Mark a pencil (do not use ink) line (~2.0 cm) from the bottom, label a spot for each ink tested

• Apply different inks or dyes to the labeled spots on the pencil line. Record which liquid is at each
spot.
BALLPEN INK

COLOR PEN INK

• Tape the paper to the pencil or glass rod such that the line with the ink spots is not
submerged in the solvent (or the ink will come out into the solvent rather than run
up the paper.

BALLPEN INK

COLORPEN INK

• Add solvent, water or alcohol to beaker, then place glass rod with taped, marked
paper.
• Leave for 1hr.
• Mark the solvent front with a pencil.
 • Measure the distance the solvent moved and the distance each component of the
dyes moved.

WATER SOLVENT

Before BALLPEN INK COLORPEN INK

After BALLPEN INK COLORPEN INK

ALCOHOL SOLVENT

Before BALLPEN INK COLORPEN INK

After BALLPEN INK COLORPEN INK

VI. Results
Alcohol Water
(specify concentration and type)
Distance Distance Distance Distance
travelled by the travelled by the travelled by travelled by
ink solvent the ink the solvent
Ink 1 4.2cm 6.2cm 2.9cm 7.7cm
Ink 2 3.2cm 5.7cm 4.6cm 7.05cm
VII. Conclusion
1. Are all inks of the same color composed of the same substances? Explain.
-No, it is not composed of the same substance because, as we can see in our
paper chromatography experiment, the color of the ink is separated through different
color pigments. So, therefore, all inks of the same color are not composed of the same
substance due to the ink being a mixture of different color pigments.

2. Are all the inks you tested water-soluble? Explain.

-Yes, the inks I tested are water soluble because the color pigment of the pens is
made from a dye that can dissolve in water. This explains why we didn't submerge the
ink on the paper in the solvent because if we submerged the ink on the paper in the
solvent, the color pigments of the ink would dissolve in water. Because of that, we can't
clearly see if the substance of the ink is separated.