Chromatography (Cambridge O Level Chemistry)

Topic Questions

1a1 mark

Chromatography can be used to test the purity of substances.

The diagram shows the chromatogram of a coloured substance.

q4c0620-s20-qp-43

How does this chromatogram show that this substance is not pure?

1b1 mark

Draw a circle around the correct Rf value for the spot labelled X.

 
0.2      0.4     0.8      1.2
1c1 mark

State how a colourless substance can be made visible on a chromatogram.

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2a4 marks

Substances can be classified as elements, compounds or mixtures.

Each of the boxes in the diagram represents either an element, a compound or a mixture.

2-2-methods-of-separating-and-purifying-substances
i)
Explain which two boxes represent an element.
 (2)
ii)
Explain which two boxes represent a mixture.
(2)
2b3 marks

The list gives the names of some methods used in the separation of mixtures:

  • chromatography
  • crystallisation
  • distillation
  • filtration

Use names from the list to choose a suitable method for each separation. Each name may be used once, more than once or not at all.

i)
Separating water from sodium chloride solution.
(1) 
iii)
Separating the blue dye from a mixture of blue and red dyes.
(1) 
iii)
Separating potassium nitrate from potassium nitrate solution.
(1) 
2c2 marks

The colours in three different dyes, A, B & C, were investigated using paper chromatography.

The dyes are soluble in propanone but not soluble in water.

The apparatus used is shown.

aqa-gcse-8-1e-tq3b-chromatography-equipment
 

Place two ticks in boxes that identify how the equipment was incorrectly set up. 

The dyes are all on the same piece of chromatography paper  
The solvent used is water  
A lid is on the beaker  
The water is not level with the dyes  
The start line is drawn in ink  

2d3 marks

The student corrected the mistakes and obtained the chromatogram shown in Figure 2.

aqa-gcse-8-1e-tq3c-chromatogram-of-dyes
Figure 2 



Put ticks (✔ ) in the boxes to show which statements are true and which statements are false. 

  True False
 Dye A is the most soluble     
 Dye C is a mixture    
 Dye C contains dye B     
 Dye C contains dye A    
 Dye B is a pure substance    

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1a2 marks

The ester linkage showing all the bonds is drawn as

ester-linkage

or more simply it can be written as –COO–.

i)
Give the structural formula of the ester ethyl ethanoate.

[1]

ii)
Deduce the name of the ester formed from methanoic acid and butanol.

[1]

1b3 marks

Draw the structural formula of the polyester formed from the following monomers.

 
HOOCC6H4COOH and HOCH2CH2OH
 

You are advised to use the simpler form of the ester linkage.

1c5 marks

Esters can be used as solvents in chromatography. The following shows a chromatogram of plant acids.

chromatogram-of-plant-acid

An ester was used as the solvent and the chromatogram was sprayed with bromothymol blue.

i)
Suggest why it was necessary to spray the chromatogram.

[2]

ii)
Explain what is meant by the Rf value of a sample.

[1]

iii)
Calculate the Rf values of the two samples and use the data in the table to identify the plant acids.

Plant acid Rf value
tartaric acid 0.22
citric acid 0.30
oxalic acid 0.36
malic acid 0.46
succinic acid 0.60

[2]

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2a4 marks

Extended Only

Electrolysis is used to manufacture magnesium from molten magnesium bromide.

 
i)
The negative electrode is made of iron.
 
Suggest a non-metal which could be used for the positive electrode.
Give a reason for your answer.
 
[2]
 
ii)
Write the ionic equations for the products of the electrolysis of molten magnesium bromide at:
 
the positive electrode ..........................................................................................................
 
the negative electrode. .......................................................................................................
 
[2]
2b2 marks

The following statements are about the procedure for making crystals of hydrated magnesium bromide from magnesium and dilute hydrobromic acid.

A

Add an excess of magnesium to dilute hydrobromic acid.

B

Filter off the crystals and dry between filter papers.

C

Filter off the excess magnesium.

D

Leave the mixture at room temperature to form more crystals.

E

Leave the mixture until no more bubbles are seen.

F

Warm the filtrate to the point of crystallisation.

Put the statements A, B, C, D, E and F in the correct order.

2c2 marks

Magnesium is a metal in Group II of the Periodic Table.

Cobalt is a transition element with a higher melting point and a higher boiling point than magnesium.

Describe two other properties of cobalt which are different from those of magnesium. 

2d4 marks

Chromatography can be used to separate a mixture of ions from different transition element compounds.

Two solutions, Y and Z, each containing only one type of transition element ion were placed on a piece of chromatography paper.

Four samples, R, S, T and U, each containing transition element ions, were also placed on the same piece of chromatography paper.

 

The results of the chromatography are shown.

12-2-4d-h-chromatography-results 
i)
Explain the results shown for solutions Y and Z.
 
[1]
 
ii)
Which sample, R, S, T or U, does not contain the same ions as either solution Y or solution Z?
 
[1]
 
iii)
Which sample, R, S, T or U, contains the same ions as both solution Y and solution Z?
 
[1]
 
iv)
Which sample, R, S, T or U, has the greatest number of transition element ions?
 
[1]

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