CHROMATOGRAPHY SCIENCE MODULE
PURPOSE
Show students how complex chemicals can be separated for further study.
MATERIALS
• Coffee filter strips or strips of paper towels
• Water based felt tip markers (brown and black work best, must be water based - test first)
SETUP
Place small cup of water in center of larger tray.
METHOD
Make a small stripe across the middle of the filter paper. Place one end of the paper in the cup. As the water soaks up the strip across the mark the various chemicals in the ink move at different speeds and are separated out. After a few moments remove the paper and let it dry. Try again with other colors.
DISCUSSION
When chemicals (ink) dissolve in a moving solvent the smaller chemicals move faster than slower chemicals so they separate. This technology is used to separate many chemicals for analysis.
