Notes On Plant Pigment Chromatography

LAB SESSION # : 19

TITLE OF LAB: Plant Pigment Chromatography

NAME: Olivia Karczewski

DUE DATE: 5/7/14

CLASS: Period A

Results:

Table 1: Distance moved by pigments:

Band Number Distance Band color

1 12 mm Yellow

2 15 mm Bright Green/Blue

3 20 mm Olive Green

4 50 mm Yellow-orange

Table 2: Rf values of separated pigments:

Pigment Band Color Distance Traveled Rf

Carotene Yellow-orange 50 mm 1 xanthophyll Yellow 12 mm 0.24

Chlorophyll a Bright green/blue green 15 mm

0.30

Chlorophyll b Yellow green/olive green 20 mm 0.40

Plant Pigment Chromatography strip.

Questions for Discussion:

1.) What factors are involved in the separation of the pigments?

The size of the pigment molecule is involved in the separation of the pigments; therefore, smaller pigments will be able to travel farther. Other factors involved in pigment separation are the amount of time the chromatography is run and the pigment solubility (No author mentioned. (n.d.). Henderson State University. Separation of Pigments by Chromatography.).

2.) Would you expect the Rf value of a pigment to be the same if a different solvent were used? Explain.

The Rf value of a pigment would not be the same if a different solvent were used because each solvent is different. The solubility and size of the specific solvent will produce different results (No author mentioned. (n.d.). Henderson State University. Separation of Pigments by Chromatography.).

3.) What type of chlorophyll does the reaction center contain? What are the roles of the other pigments?

The photosystems contain the reaction center. Photosystem I and Photosystem II are both found in the chloroplast. Chlorophyll a is the type of chlorophyll that is found in the r...

... middle of paper ...

...a green/yellow pigment color. The other two pigments, xanthophyll will make a yellow pigment and carotene will make an orange pigment. Some plants that contain these pigments are green plants such as spinach, grasses, and buckwheat (No author mentioned. (n.d.). Oregon State University. Green Plants by Scientific Name.).

References:

1.) No author mentioned. (n.d.). Henderson State University. Separation of Pigments by

Chromatography. Retrieved from: http://www.hsu.edu/pictures.aspx?id=1653

2.) No author mentioned. (n.d.). Paper Chromatography Virtual Lab. Retrieved from:

http://iqa.evergreenps.org/science/chemistry/labs/1stsemester/1.10-paper-chromatography_lab.html

3.) No author mentioned. (n.d.). Oregon State University. Green Plants by Scientific Name. Retrieved from: http://www.malag.aes.oregonstate.edu/wildflowers/plantlist.php/restrict[color]-Green