Grade 11 DP Biology

VIRTUAL PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY LAB

Follow the below steps and fill in the answers as you go.
(1) Go to http://amrita.olabs.edu.in/?sub=79&brch=17&sim=124&cnt=4
(2) Read the section that says “theory”
(3) In the drop box titled “Select the plant pigment extract” make sure green spinach is selected.
(4) In the drop box titled “Select the solvent” make sure isopropyl alcohol is selected.
(5) Click “Start” and watch what happens.
(6) Follow the directions on the screen to “Click on the test tube to measure the Rf value.”
(7) Once the “Identify this band” box shows up, click the “Show Scale” and “Show chart” boxes on the left.
(8) Identify this band: yellow orange, yellow, light green, dark green and red.
(9) Fill in the Table:

Pigment Color Rf value

carotene Yellow orange .94

xanthophyII Yellow .89

ChlorophylI a Light green .46

Chlorophyll b Dark green .22

Anthocyaninm Red NA

(10) In the drop box titled “Select the plant pigment extract” now select maple in spring/summer.
(11) Repeat steps 3-6
(12) Identify this band: yellow orange, yellow, light green, Dark green and red.
(13) Fill in the Table:

Pigment Color Rf value .

Carotene Yellow orange .94

Xanthopyll a Yellow .89

Chlorophyll a Light green .46

Chlorophyll b Dark green .22

Anthocyanin REd NA
(14) In the drop box titled “Select the plant pigment extract” now select maple in autumn/winter.
(15) Repeat steps 3-6
(16) Identify this band: yellow orange and red
(17) Fill in the Table:

Pigment Color Rf value

Carotene Yellow orange .88

Xanthophyll Yellow NA

Chlorophyll a Light green NA

Chlorophyll b Dark green NA

Anthocyanin REd .60

(18) In the drop box titled “Select the plant pigment extract” now select fall foliage.
(19) Repeat steps 3-6
(20) Identify this band: yellow orange and yellow
(21) Fill in the Table:

Pigment Color Rf value

Carotene Yellow orange .90

Xanthophyll Yellow .83

Chlorophyll a Light green NA

Chlorophyll b Dark green NA

Anthocyanin Red NA
 Answer the following questions:

1. Which pigment extract(s) contained the most pigments? Why is that?

Spinach green and maple in spring\summer. This is because behind the paper chromatography is that the most
soluble substances move further on the filter paper than the least soluble substances. Different plant pigments
can be separated by using the technique of paper chromatography.

2. Based on what you have learned, explain why leaves tend to change color in the fall. Why did the
samples
“maple in autumn/winter” and “fall foliage” not contain chlorophyll a and b?

It is because in fall due to shorter days and called temperatures, the plants cease chlorophyll a and b.
Consequently, other pigments become more visible .

3. Leaves in New England change color in the fall. However, leaves in Florida do not change color in the
fall. Why is this so? (Hint: Think of a difference between the two locations that might act as a trigger for
leaves to change color in the fall.)

The difference in weather, location and amount of light exposed to.

Total 40 marks