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28 wrz 2021 · How Leaf Chromatography Works. Paper chromatography separates pigments in leaf cells on the basis of three criteria: Solubility; Molecule size; Polarity; Solubility is a measure of how well a pigment molecule dissolves in the solvent. In this project, the solvent is alcohol. Crushing the leaves breaks open cells so pigments interact with alcohol.
Use of chromatography to investigate the pigments isolated from leaves of different plants, e.g. leaves from shade-tolerant and shade-intolerant plants or leaves of different colours. Chromatography is used to separate out different components in a sample. In this experiment,
Students use thin-layer chromatography to separate the various pigments that are present in two different leaf extracts. They identify each pigment and determine whether the two extracts have any pigments in common. The experiment is suitable for students aged 11–16 and takes 1–2 hours to complete.
An example is the spinach leaf, which appears dark green, but is actually a mixture of several pigments of different color. In order to identify the individual pigments, chemists use a technique known as chromatography (‘chroma’ refers to color) to separate out the different pigments.
The separation of plant pigments by paper chromatography is an analysis of pigment molecules within the given plant. This post discusses the steps of separating plant pigments through paper chromatography, observation and calculation.
In this experiment, students investigate the different pigments present in a leaf, from chlorophyll to carotenes, using paper chromatography. The experiment takes about 30 minutes and can be carried out in groups of two or three students.
In paper chromatography, paper marked with an unknown, such as plant extract, is placed in a developing chamber with a specified solvent. The solvent carries the dissolved pigments as it moves up the paper. The pigments are carried at different rates because they are not equally soluble.
