Transcript Pigment Chromatography - ESC-2

Pigment
Chromatography
• Plant leaves contain different color pigments
that give the leaf color. Plant pigments come
in many different colors but we are the most
familiar with chlorophyll because of its
important job in photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is
the green pigment that absorbs energy from
the sun to power photosynthesis. As sunlight
hits the leaves of the plant, yellow and green
light are reflected while red and blue light are
absorbed by chlorophyll. The reflected yellow
and green light makes the leaves appear green
to our eyes.
Fill in an answer based on the
spinach leaf.
What question could you ask about the colors
in this leaf?
Does the spinach leaf have more than
one color pigment?
Place your hypothesis in the box.
Predict what colors might show up.
Materials
1 piece of chromatography paper
popsicle stick
spinach juice
90% rubbing alcohol
1 metric ruler
1 beaker
1 pencil
Procedure
1. Write your name on one end of the
chromatography paper.
2. Carefully measure 2cm from the other end
and place a small, light mark.
3. Using the pipette or eye dropper, get a very small amount of
the spinach juice.
4. Apply the juice in a line across the paper at the 2cm mark.
5. Allow 1 minute for the drop to soak into the paper.
6. Pour 20 mL of ethanol into the bottom of a beaker.
7. Place the bottom edge of the filter paper into the isopropyl
alcohol but do not let the drops go under the alcohol line.
8. Observe the changes over 3 minutes.
9. Record and explain your observations.
10. Take the finished strip and tape it to your paper on page 3.
Fill in these 2 boxes. Your observations are what you
see on the paper strip.
Interpret that data by explaining what you see.
Circle one of these based on whether
your hypothesis was correct or
incorrect.
yellow
(carotene)
Green
chlorophyll
Complete the remainder of the lab.
You may work with other students
and use the internet to research
the extension questions.