Chromatography Experiment Matriculation
Jen Ronnfeldt
The aim of this experiment was to separate and isolate the different photosynthetic pigments, found on spinach leaves and to extract them using the paper chromatography method. The aim was also to determine the relative amounts of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b from their absorption spectra. Leaves of fresh spinach were used to separate its photosynthetic pigments and then measure their absorption and ratio between chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Apart from the paper chromatography method, another method called spectrophotometry was used in order to measure the absorption of light of each pigment. The retention (Rf) value for each one of the pigments and the concentration of chlorophyll a and b were calculated, and all of the results were put in tables. The ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b was then also calculated and the result was 2.6:1, which is quite close to the result expected. Get Help With Your EssayIf you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help!
The absorption of each pigment that was isolated from the spinach leaves was plotted in a graph, which showed that chlorophyll a had the greatest absorption of all pigments. Chlorophyll b came with the second higher absorption in contrast with the other pigments and violaxanthin, lutein and B carotene came last with lower absorption. That means that a smaller amount of light managed to pass through the pigments of chlorophyll a and b. Afterwards, the concentrations of the two pigments chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were calculated, so that the ratio of these could be also calculated. Finally, the ratio seemed to be 2.6: 1, which is quite close to the ratio expected to accrue. Each plant has a specific ratio of its pigments and does not change, but different plants do not have the same ratios.Sometimes, small mistakes may be done during the processes used for an experiment and can affect the accuracy of the final results. There is a possibility in this experiment that wrong amounts of acetone were used, which would affect the results. There is also another possibility of making a mistake while reading the results on the spectrophotometer screen or making a wrong use of the chromatography paper by adding the leaf extract on it that would be able to completely change the results of the experiment. Furthermore, this can be the reason why people sometimes get different results while repeating the same experiment a few times.Summing up, the inference of this process is that the results are enough accurate, because they do not seem to have a great variation of similar experiments done in the past on this subject. In general, the chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b ratio seems to be always around 3:1, which is not much further from 2.6:1, which is the ratio of the two chlorophylls found by the end of this experiment. Share this:FacebookFacebook logoTwitterTwitter logoRedditReddit logoLinkedInLinkedIn logoWhatsAppWhatsApp logo Cite This WorkTo export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below:
The purpose of the experiment is to determine the specific types of pigments found in a beet leaf and in a spinach leaf by using paper chromatography and two solvents: water soluble solvent and lipid soluble solvent.
If this lipid-soluble solvent is present, as opposed to the water-soluble solvent, then the lipid-soluble pigments will move up the chromatography paper instead of the water-soluble pigments. The same idea will happen. The lipid-soluble pigments will travel up the paper until their bonds between the water are so weak that they must stop following the movement of the solvent, and get placed at a certain height above the original concentrated dot.
Spinach will have mainly chlorophyll A and B because the leaf is completely green, compared to the beet leaf which consists of both a red and green shade showing that other pigments are present in this leaf.
Solvent: the solvent is a major factor that plays in the outcome of the experiment. A certain solvent will only attract certain pigments up the paper. For example, this experiment used water-soluble and lipid-soluble solvents. This means that when one of these solvents is present in the trial, only that type of pigment will travel with the movement of the solvent (lipid-soluble solvent with lipid-soluble pigment and water-soluble solvent with water-soluble pigment).
The beet leaf contained more pigments in the leaf compared to the spinach leaf. This could be because the beet has a root where it stores starch. This would require it to undergo photosynthesis more times in order for it to create more glucose to store.
This was shown when the paper chromatography was done, the beet leaf trials had many different colored pigments over the paper, vs the spinach leaf only a green pigment which represented that only chlorophyll was present.
SAFETY NOTICE:
All chemistry students are required to wear closed-toe shoes at all times in the chemistry laboratory. Students are also required to wear indirect-vent safety goggles (safety glasses are not acceptable) while working in the laboratory.
The Interdisciplinary Studies: Math and Science Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, plus general education requirements, plus sufficient electives to meet a 60-unit total. See FLC graduation requirements.
This course introduces fundamental principles of chemistry including types of matter and physical states, physical and chemical transformations, chemical equations and stoichiometry, bonding, atomic and chemical structure, intermolecular forces, gas laws, solutions, colligative properties, acids and bases, nuclear chemistry, and includes a brief introduction of organic chemistry. It is primarily intended for general education and majors in allied health (nursing, dental hygiene, respiratory care), family and consumer science, physical education, physical therapy(*), psychology(*), natural resources(*). Chem 305 can also be used as a preparatory course prior to enrolling in Chem 400. Students will require approved safety goggles for this course.
*May require CHEM 400.
This course is the second semester of General, Organic and Biological chemistry (a continuation of Chemistry 305). This course is intended for students majoring in the Allied Health fields (nursing B.S.N degree), and dental hygiene). This course introduces students to the structure and function, as well as the physical and chemical properties of organic molecules. Emphasis is on the specific functional groups found in carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, the types of reactions they undergo and their relevancy to human physiology and health. Students will require approved safety goggles for this course.
Approved Safety Goggles, several pairs of disposable gloves. A lab coat or apron is advised but optional.
This is a first semester general college chemistry course intended for students majoring in the scientific disciplines including chemistry, biology, nutrition, physics, geology and engineering. This course emphasizes the fundamental principles of chemistry. Topics include chemical measurement; physical and chemical processes; nomenclature; stoichiometry; atomic structure; quantum theory; molecular structure; bonding theory; physical properties of gases, liquids, and solids; thermochemistry; and properties of solutions. Students are required to purchase indirect vent safety goggles, closed toe shoes, and a bound quad-ruled notebook for the laboratory. Other materials may be required by the instructor.
This course is a continuation of the two-semester series in general college chemistry, General Chemistry I (Chem 400) and General Chemistry II (Chem 401). CHEM 401 is intended for students majoring in the scientific disciplines including chemistry, biology, physics, and geology. Topics presented in the course include kinetics, equilibrium, acid/base chemistry, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, nuclear chemistry, and coordination chemistry. A brief introduction to Organic Chemistry is included. Laboratory experiments include qualitative and quantitative analysis.
This is a course in chemical quantitative analysis. Emphasis is placed on: the statistical treatment of data, error analysis, and goodness-of-fit criteria; the proper design, control, and handling of experimental data obtained using various analytical methods; the fundamental theory of and techniques involving volumetric analysis, spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry, and gas & liquid chromatography; the calibration of glassware and instrumentation; and the design & validation of experimental methods. This course is for students planning careers in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, forensics, pre-pharmacy, biology, molecular biology, and microbiology.
This course focuses on the principles and techniques utilized in modern quantitative analysis. Gravimetric, volumetric, electroanalytical, spectrophotometric, and chromatographic analytical methods will be studied theoretically and with practical laboratory experiments. Emphasis throughout the course will be on sampling, calibration, statistical analysis, and method validation procedures. This course is intended for science majors, including chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemistry, biology, forensic science, and microbiology.
This is a lecture/laboratory course designed to introduce students to the basic concepts of organic chemistry. This course is designed for science majors, pre-med, pre-dental, and pre-pharmacy majors. Lecture topics will include acid/base chemistry, pushing electrons, organic nomenclature, alkane chemistry, alkene chemistry, alkyl halides, alcohols, ethers, physical properties of alkanes and cycloalkanes, SN1, SN2, E1, E2 mechanisms. Laboratory work will include characterization of organic molecules using modern analytical instrumentation such as (GC, GC/MS, NMR, FTIR, polarimetry, and HPLC) and the measurement of their physical properties. Separation and purification of organic compounds will also be covered in the lab section; these techniques include distillation, recrystallization, preparative chromatography, liquid-liquid extraction and thin-layer chromatography. This course requires that students purchase additional supplies such as a Gas Chromatography micro-syringe and safety goggles. Students will need to purchase a lab journal to record experimental information. Students will also need to check with the instructor for supplemental lab supplies that may not be provided during check-in.
c80f0f1006