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A spot of water-soluble ink was put on a piece of chromatography paper and set up as shown in the diagram - Junior Cycle Science - Question c - 2006
Question c
A spot of water-soluble ink was put on a piece of chromatography paper and set up as shown in the diagram. The ink used was a mixture of different coloured dyes. (i... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A spot of water-soluble ink was put on a piece of chromatography paper and set up as shown in the diagram - Junior Cycle Science - Question c - 2006
Step 1
What happens to the ink spot as the water moves up the paper?
Answer
As the water moves up the chromatography paper, the different components of the ink mixture begin to separate. Various colors appear, indicating the presence of different dyes within the ink. This separation occurs due to differences in the solubility and adhesion properties of the dyes to the paper.
Step 2
What would happen to a spot of water-soluble ink consisting of a single coloured dye if it was used in the above experiment?
Answer
For a single coloured dye, as it travels up the chromatography paper, the colour would remain consistent with no separation occurring. The single dye would move up uniformly with the solvent, showing a single color without any variation.