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Chromatography and distillation

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Lesson notes

Chromatography

  • **Chromatography** separates different substances in a mixture.
  • A spot of ink is placed on **chromatography paper** and the paper is placed in water.
  • Water rises up the paper and acts as a **solvent**.
  • Ink is made of different **dyes** that are **soluble** in water.
  • As water rises, it brings dyes up the paper; different dyes move at different rates.
  • Dyes that travel the same distance up the paper are the same dye.

Simple Distillation

  • **Simple distillation** separates a liquid from a dissolved solid (e.g., salt from seawater).
  • A **Bunsen burner** heats the mixture; the liquid **evaporates**, leaving the solid behind.
  • Vapour travels through a **condenser** where **cooling water** passes.
  • The cool condenser **condenses** the vapour back to liquid, collected as **distilled water**.
  • This method can also separate liquids with different **boiling points**.

Key Terms

  • **Soluble**: able to dissolve in a solvent.
  • **Solvent**: a liquid that dissolves a substance (e.g., water in chromatography).
  • **Evaporation**: change from liquid to gas.
  • **Condensation**: change from gas to liquid.

Common Misconceptions

  • In chromatography, ink is **not** the solvent; water is the solvent.
  • Chromatography separates mixtures, not elements in a compound.
  • Salt cannot be filtered from seawater because salt dissolves; distillation is needed.

Application: Separating Liquids

  • If two liquids have different boiling points, the one with the **lower boiling point** evaporates first.
  • Example: Liquid A (boiling point 100°C) will evaporate before Liquid B (300°C).

States of matter: solid, liquid, gas. Evaporation (liquid to gas) and condensation (gas to liquid) are key in distillation.

Particle arrangementSolidLiquidGas

Slides

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Practice questions

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  1. 1.In chromatography, what is the solvent?

    Easy
    • AWater
    • BInk
    • CDye
    • DPaper
  2. 2.Which statement about chromatography is correct?

    Easy
    • ADyes are soluble in the solvent.
    • BThe solvent is the ink.
    • CChromatography separates compounds into elements.
    • DAll dyes move at the same rate.
  3. 3.What is the name of the state change from gas to liquid?

    Easy
    • ACondensation
    • BEvaporation
    • CBoiling
    • DMelting
  4. 4.What is the name of the state change from liquid to gas?

    Easy
    • AEvaporation
    • BCondensation
    • CFreezing
    • DSublimation
  5. 5.In simple distillation of seawater, what is left behind in the flask?

    Medium
    • ASalt
    • BPure water
    • CWater vapour
    • DCondensed water
  6. 6.During simple distillation, what is the purpose of the cooling water in the condenser?

    Medium
    • ATo condense the vapour into liquid
    • BTo evaporate the liquid
    • CTo heat the vapour
    • DTo dissolve the salt
  7. 7.A mixture of two liquids is distilled. Liquid A boils at 100°C, liquid B at 300°C. Which liquid is collected first?

    Medium
    • ALiquid A
    • BLiquid B
    • CBoth together
    • DNeither
  8. 8.In the chromatography diagram, which inks share a common dye?

    Medium
    OrangePurpleGreen
    • AOrange and purple
    • BOrange and green
    • CPurple and green
    • DAll of them

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