Question

what is chromatography? state its principle. write one advantage of chromatography over other techniques.

Answer 1

Dear student ,

Chromatography: Chromatography is a technique used to separate mixtures into its components. In this method, a drop of mixture to be separated is placed on a filter paper, and the paper is hanged in a jar, slightly dipping in the solvent, so that when solvent rises up in the paper (as the filter papers has pores in it which allow the movement of the solvent), it carries the components of the mixture along with it. Different substances move at different speeds which allows the mixture to separate in its components.

Advantages of chromatography:

• It is used to separate very complex mixtures like drugs, plastics, flavorings, foods, pesticides, tissue extracts, fuels, air samples, water samples, ...

• It can be used for very small sample sizes
• By this separated components can be collected individually
• Its analyses can be highly accurate and precise

Regards