DISCUSSION

In our discussions, we have discussed the developing liquid phase comprises of a pure solvent
but more often it is a mixture of two or more solvents in specified proportions. In case solvents
are mixed and stored for long periods there could be loss of volatile component which will alter
the mixing proportions. In addition, it is important to keep the dye spots above the solvent level
because if the dye spots submerged in the solvent, then the spots would dissolve into the solvent
preventing them from separating out and no measurements or observations could be made.
Other, during the chromatogram development chamber is covered. This is essential as the
environment inside the chamber should remain saturated with the solvent vapour. Development
times can vary from about an hour to several hours and a saturated environment prevents losses
due to evaporation. Moreover, it is important to stop it because you cannot determine the Rf
value unless you can measure the distance from the start to the front of solvent, you have to be
able to see where it stops even if you let it go as high as you want. Besides, it is important to
mark the solvent level on the chromatography paper when you remove it because so the point at
which the solvent stopped could be noted in case the solvent kept advancing when removed and
so that you will be able to measure how far it travelled. Another, paper chromatography is a form
of liquid chromatography where the components of a mixture of organic compounds get
separated as unique spots by unidirectional flow of the developing liquid mobile phase solvent
mixture over the filter paper to which a spot of the sample is applied. The distance travelled by
each component is specific under the given set of operational conditions. Otherwise, if we
allowed the chromatogram to develop too long the solutes and the solvent would travel too far
and possibly run of the plate. Therefore we would not be able to calculate the Rf without a
measured solvent front. At last, the leaf extraction of red cabbage has no reaction because red
cabbage didn’t have any pigment that can detected using chromatography paper. Red cabbage
contain a class of pigment called anthocyanins. That pigment also give purple colour to red
cabbage.