Name: Aljay Colley

Date: 3/15/2024

Topic: Pigments in Petals

Problem Statement: Sarah is of the opinion that petals with similar colors from different plants contain
the same type of pigment. Plan and design an experiment to determine the truth in her statement.

Hypothesis: The hues of petals from diverse botanical species share resemblant pigments.

Aim: To ascertain whether petals of akin hues across diverse plant species share comparable pigments.

Apparatus/Materials: Measuring cylinder, beakers, chromatography paper, mortar and pestle, petals
from different plants (5 to 10 from each plant), ethanol, dropper, retort stand, stopwatch, clamp, ruler.

Procedure:

1) Take 10 petals from the same plant and place them in a mortar and pestle.
2) Measure 5 cm³ of ethanol and add it to the petals.
3) Thoroughly crush the petals in the ethanol and set the mixture aside.
4) Repeat the same process with petals from other plant(s) using a separate mortar and pestle.
5) Fill a beaker with 50 cm to 100 cm of ethanol.
6) Draw a horizontal line on the chromatography paper near one end.
7) Use separate droppers to apply 4-5 drops of the extracted pigment solution from each plant onto
different points along the line.
8) Set up the chromatography apparatus as shown.
9) After placing the chromatography paper in the ethanol, begin the stopwatch. Over the next 5 to
10 minutes, observe the movement of each dye and record its height from the baseline on the
paper.

Diagram:
Variables:

Controlled Variables:
The same solvent (ethanol) is used consistently to extract pigments from the petals. This ensures
that the solvent does not affect the separation process.
The controlled number of drops of pigment solution is applied to each petal extract. This consistency
helps maintain uniformity in the experiment.

Manipulated Variable:
The petals from which the pigments are extracted are the manipulated variable. Different plants
may have varying pigments, and this variation is what we want to observe.

Responding Variable:
After 5 to 10 minutes, measure the height of each pigment spot from the baseline on the
chromatography paper. This height indicates how far the pigment has traveled up the paper due
to its affinity for the solvent.

Expected Results: It is expected that in the paper chromatography experiment, the pigments will
move up the chromatogram at similar rates. This means they would react at similar distances
from the initial line within the same amount of time. By controlling variables and observing the
height of each pigment, we gain insights into their chemical properties.

Results to be collected:

Pigment Sample Distance of Pigment from the initial line

A
B
C
D
TABLE SHOWING DISTANCE TRAVELLED FORM THE INITIAL LINE BY THE PIGMENTS

Interpretation of results:
If the pigments are the same, they will indeed travel the same distance from the initial line after
the specified time. However, if they are different, they will exhibit varying distances from the
initial line. In such cases, the hypothesis will not be supported. The retention factor (Rf) for each
pigment can be calculated as the ratio of the distance traveled by the pigment to the distance
traveled by the solvent (ethanol).

Source of Error:
Parallax error in reading the measuring cylinder and ruler.
Assumption:
Assuming that ethanol is an effective solvent for the pigments stored in the petals at room
temperature, we can proceed with the paper chromatography experiment. Ethanol’s ability to
dissolve various pigments will allow us to observe their separation on the chromatography
paper.

Limitations:
Underdeveloped petals may result in relatively less pigmentation, affecting the chromatography
results.
The effectiveness of the solvent in dissolving pigments from the petals at room temperature is a
critical consideration. If the solvent fails to dissolve significant amounts of pigment, it could
impact the separation results during the chromatography experiment.