Experiment#6Chromatography.docVIP

Experiment #6??? Chromatography ? OBJECTIVES ????????????????? To become familiar with techniques separating mixtures ????????????????? To learn about chromatography, specifically paper chromatography ? ? DISCUSSION The word chromatography means color-writing and the name was chosen at the beginning of this century, when the method was first used, to separate colored components from plant leaves.? The name ‘chromatography’ may be misleading, because separation techniques do not depend on color.? Many variations of this technique exist today.? Chromatography is used as a very reliable and fast technique to separate a variety of natural and synthetic mixtures into their components.? Several types of chromatography exist today, among which are paper chromatography, thin-layer chromatography or TLC, liquid-liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, or high performance liquid chromatography or HPLC. ? ? Chromatography is a separation technique used to separate the components of a mixture.? Many separation methods rely on physical differences between the components of a mixture.? Undoubtedly, you are already familiar with several means chemists use to effect separations based on physical differences.? These techniques include:? Filtration, where separation may be effected because substances are present in different states (solid vs. liquid); Centrifugation, where separation is effected by differences in density; and Distillation, where separation is effected by taking advantage of differences in boiling temperatures of the various components. ?In this laboratory exercise, we will effect a separation of a mixture of food dyes using paper chromatography. ? In a typical experiment, a mixture of different chemicals is partitioned between a stationary phase and a moving phase (eluent or solvent).? The moving phase may be a liquid or a gas; the stationary phase is typically a solid.? As the mobile phase flows over the stationary phase, the components in the mixture are carried