Chromatography

Chromatography
Definition: Chromatography is a process in which a chemical mixture carried by a liquid or gas is separated into components that can be individually analysed due to the fact that the different particles are caught on the material at different rates. This is a picture of the tree we got our leave samples from:

Equipment:

• Leaves 
• Mortar and Pestle
• Ethanol

Method:

For this experiment we first collected several leaves of the same type and put them in a mortar and pestle. We then broke them up, adding ethanol as the solvent to break them down easier so we could get more of the pigment. We then left them in a test tube over night, so that the remaining bits of leaves could break down.





The next day, we continued to conduct our experiment using the following equipment:

• Two boiler tubes
• Test tube Rack
• Filter paper
• Disposable Pipette/ plastic eye drop
• Splint

Method part 2:

We measured a piece of filter paper just longer then the length of the boiler tubes we were using. After measuring and cutting out filter paper, we stuck a piece of splint onto it so that it could sit in the tube with out having to hold it in place. We also drew a line in pencil and put a drop of the sample we used the day before on the line. Using Ethanol, we filled the test tube up until the filter paper only just touched it.

Results:
Unfortunately, the paper and pigmentation of the ground up leaves didn't react the way we hoped it would. We think this might be because we didn't use enough leaves, therefore there wasn't enough pigmentation. Another reason for this could've been that we didn't break the leaves up enough. I also thought it could've been because we used too much ethanol when we were breaking up the leaves the day before.