Tutorial 7

(BASIC CHROMATOGRAPHY)

1. One of the methods employs in chromatography is TLC.

a) Define TLC.

b) Explained how colourless spot on a TLC plate been visualised and identified.

2. A mixture of compounds (A and B) is passed through a column chromatography and separated

based on each compound’s degree of affinity for the mobile and stationary phases. If compound
A has a stronger affinity for the stationary phase than compound B, identify which compound will
migrate through the column more rapidly.

3. Suggest two packing materials that can be used as stationary phase in column chromatography
and planar chromatography.

4. State true or false for the following statements regarding chromatography.

a) In chromatography, the mobile phase is the moving phase.
b) In adsorption method of chromatography, the separation of solutes depends on the
difference in the solubility of the stationary phase and the solutes.
c) In partition chromatography, the mobile phase distributes itself between the solution and
the stationary phase.
d) In paper chromatography, the stationary phase is the paper itself and the solvent is the
mobile phase.

5. Calculate the Rf values for the spots on the TLC slide below.
6. In one paper chromatography the spots A and B are 5.4 cm and 3.8 cm respectively from the
starting point. The solvent front is 8.2 cm from the starting point.

a) Calculate the Rf for spots A and B.

b) What is the distance of spots A and B if the solvent front is 9.6 cm from the starting point?

7. Sketch a TLC slide using the information below:

The solvent front is 6.90 cm; and the Rf values for spots X, Y and Z on the TLC slide are 0.82,
0.28 and 0.63 respectively.

8. Discuss and differentiate between thin layer and paper chromatography.

9. Describe briefly the principle of ion-exchange chromatography. Give 3 types of exchanger

available.

10. One of the most important applications of ion exchange is deionisation of water. Describe briefly
this application of the ion exchange process.