Name: Daktari Doman

Pool: 10-G2
Date: June 2, 2023

Topic: Planning and Designing

Title: Paper Chromatography

Problem: Marsha believes callaloo and the ink in her green pen are made of the

same components. Her friend Jordan disagrees. Plan and design an experiment to

determine whose claim is correct.

Hypothesis: Both the callaloo extract and the green ink contain the same type of

solutes.

Aim: To investigate if the ink in a green pen and the green pigment found in

callaloo are the same through paper chromatography.

Apparatus & Materials: 5cm3 of water, 1cm3 of Callaloo Extract, 1cm3 from the

same green pen, Pipette, Beaker, Filter Paper,

Method:

1) Pour out 5cm3 of distilled water into two beakers. Label the beakers A and

B.

2) Cut 2 filter papers. Each measuring 9cm (length) by 6cm (width).

3) For the callaloo extract, draw a horizontal line with a pencil 1cm away from

the base of the paper.

4) Put a dot in the middle of the horizontal line.

 5) With a pipette, squeeze one drop of the callaloo extract on the dot.

6) Slowly and gently, lower the filter paper with the callaloo extract into beaker

A with the distilled water below the pencil line.

7) Remove the filter paper from the beaker when the solvent front is near the

top.

8) When the filter paper dries, record the solvent front, record the distance

travelled by the extract and put a dot where the highest concentration of

callaloo extract is located on the paper.

9) Repeat steps 1 - 8 for the ink in the green pen.

Controlled Variables: Volume of distilled water used, Volume of the callaloo

extract and the green ink

Manipulated Variables: Size of filter paper, the substances (callaloo extract and

green pen ink) used

Responding Variables: Height of the samples

Data to be Collected: Green Ink Component Distance, Callaloo Extract Component

Distance, Retention Factor for each substance

Table 1:

Data Needed Callaloo Extract Green Ink

Component Distance
Solvent Front
Retention Factor
Expected Results/Statement of Results: It is expected that both the green pigment

found in callaloo extract and the green ink will be the same due to the retention

factor values being the same. Therefore, the hypothesis is accepted.

Limitations/Sources of Error: The callaloo extract may not be as strong as the raw

callaloo itself. The green ink did not dry.

Assumption: The callaloo extract contains the same components as the green ink.

Precaution: The filter paper did not touch the sides of the beaker and it barely

touched the water.