Name _________________________________________ Date ___________________________ Period______

Chromatography of Chlorophyll
Paper chromatography is a useful way to separate out the different pigment molecules in chlorophyll. Using a solvent, pigments found in plants are separated. The pigments are able to dissolve in the solvent and separate from each other. When they separate, the different colors of the pigments will be visible. This way we can tell which pigments are inside the leaves. The pigments will be absorbed along a paper column until they reach the top. Larger pigment molecules will move up the paper slower and , smaller pigment molecules will move up the paper faster. Procedure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Obtain a strip of chromatography paper. Measure 2 cm from the bottom and mark a pencil mark ( MUST BE PENCIL) Obtain a piece of a leaf wider than the strip of paper Using a coin, roll the coin across the pencil mark smooshing the chlorophyll from the leaf on the pencil line. Now, the line should be heavily covered in green chlorophyll. Very carefully place the strip into the jar containing the solvent. Be careful not to get the line in the liquid solvent! Cover the jar. Let the jar sit undisturbed until the liquid has moved up to very near the top of the strip of paper. (DONT let the liquid run off the strip!)

9. Cut your paper in half and each will staple or tape their paper here:

Label the different color pigments as;

COLOR REFLECTED
Dark green to blueish-green Yellowish green to (olive) Orange- yellow Lemon yellow

PIGMENT NAME
chlorophyll a chlorophyll b carotene xanthophyll

Answer the questions:

1. Which pigment moved the farthest up the paper? _______________________ 2. Which pigment moved the shortest distance up the paper? _______________
3. If the largest molecule moved slowly through the paper and the smallest molecule moved quickly through the paper--- rank the size of the PIGMENT molecules. Use pigment names (not color names)

Largest Smallest

______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________

4. In the autumn, when the leaves change color, what pigments become weaker in expression? ______________________ and _________________________

5. In the autumn, which pigments become more DOMINANT? __________________________ and ________________________