Paper Chromatography Lab Report Paper printable pdf download

Paper Chromatography Lab

Chromatography is a method for analyzing complex

mixtures by separating them into the chemicals from which they are made. Chromatography is

used to separate and identify all sorts of substances in police work. Drugs from narcotics to

aspirin can be identified in urine and blood samples, often with the aid of chromatography. In

today’s lab you will be using chromatography to analyze the ink found on a ransom note. The

police have received a ransom note written in black ink. You will test the ink to see if it is a

homogeneous mixture or if its made up of a single dye component. In addition you will measure

the Rf factors of the component parts. Several known suspects have been apprehended. Samples

of ink have been obtained from the correspondence of each suspect and the ink will be compared

to that of the ransom note. To aide you in your investigation, you will determine the

characteristic Rf factors of several inks first before testing the ink from the ransom note.

Materials

• Paper coffee filters or chromatography paper

• Ink pens/markers

• water

• Small glasses ,plastic containers, or beakers

• Isopropyl rubbing alcohol

• Pencils

• Tape/stapler

• Scissors

Instructions

Part I -Testing Inks. (Quantitative test)

1. Cut a strip of coffee filter or chromatography paper into strips.

2. Fold one end of each strip over then staple it to form a loop. Measure the height of your

container and trim the length so that the other end just hits the bottom of your container

3. Draw a pencil line 1.5 to 2 cm above the tip. Place a small dot of ink to be tested on the

pencil line.

4. Poke a pencil through one of the loops you just made. Use the pencil to suspend the strip (s) in

a small glass or container.

5. Carefully add the solvent to the glass until it reaches the bottom of the paper strip just below

the ink dot. Be sure the ink stays above the liquid and the paper stays in the solvent.

6. Allow the solvent to soak up the strip(s) and watch what happens to the ink spot.

Paper Chromatography Lab Report Paper