Question

Alcohol or acid will travel the furthest up the paper chromatography? pls help thanks and explain

Answer 1

Answer:

True

Explanation:

Yes.

The distance that the molecules move depends on their solubility in the solvent and the size of the molecules. Heavy molecules will travel slower and therefore travel a shorter distance in the time the chromatography is run.

We know from such things as felt tip pens that colourings can be soluble in different solvents. Water soluble felt pens have colours that are - well - water soluble. Permanent felt pens have colours that are insoluble in water but that are soluble in another solvent. This could well be alcohol.

The water soluble colours may also be soluble in alcohol. The solubility in alcohol will be different from the solubility in alcohol, and so the Rf value ( the distance travelled) will also be different.

Because of the complicated shapes of the colours, the colours may not have the same order in the Rf values in the different solvents.