Chromatography Transitional Reasoning Download PDF

Questions

1. 1.

   A chemist investigates a mixture of three synthetic dyes—X, Y, and Z—using paper chromatography with polar cellulose paper as the stationary phase and a nonpolar liquid mixture as the mobile phase. After the solvent front travels a distance of 8.0 cm from the baseline, dye X is found at 2.0 cm, dye Y at 4.0 cm, and dye Z at 6.0 cm. Based on these chromatographic results, which statement accurately evaluates the properties and retention factors of the dyes?

   • A) Dye X has the highest affinity for the mobile phase because it remains closest to the baseline, yielding an $R_f$ value of 0.25.
   • B) Dye Y has an $R_f$ value of 2.0 and interacts more strongly with the nonpolar solvent than dye Z does.
   • C) Dye Z is the most polar component in the mixture because it travels the greatest distance alongside the advancing solvent front.
   • D) Dye Z has an $R_f$ value of 0.75 and exhibits the weakest relative attraction to the polar stationary phase among the three dyes.