Paper Chromatography

• Paper chromatography


  A separation technique used by scientists to separate substances in a mixture
• Paper chromatography is a physical process that does not involve chemical reactions and no new substances are made
• Stationary phase


  The paper, which does not move
• Mobile phase


  The solvent, which moves up the paper
• Paper chromatography procedure


  1. Draw pencil line at bottom of paper

  2. Put dots of substances on line

  3. Place paper in solvent

  4. Solvent moves up paper, dissolving and carrying substances

  5. Substances separate based on solubility
• A pure compound will produce a single spot in all solvents, while compounds in a mixture may separate into different spots
• More soluble substance


  Travels further up the paper than less soluble substance
• Drawing the starting line in pencil is important because pen could dissolve in the solvent and move up the paper
• Paper chromatography can be used to identify compounds by calculating the RF value