Paper Chromatography: A method of separating dissolved substances based on their solubility in water
Soluble: (of a substance) able to be dissolved
Insoluble: unable to dissolve in another solvent
Solubility: the ability to be dissolved
solvent: a liquid that can dissolve other substances, such as water
Chromatography works because some substances dissolve in the solvent better than others and travel up the paper further
Paper Chromaography:
A) solvent front
B) distance travelled by solvent
C) distance travelled by substance
D) baseline
Rf value = Distance travelled by substance / Distance travelled by solvent
The Rf values are used to identify unknown compounds.
Stationary phase - paper
mobile phase - solvent
result of chromatography experiment - chromatogram
molecules with a higher solubility in the solvent (therefore less attracted to the paper) will spend more time in the solvent and will be carried further up the paper
