Chromatography: paper
I can describe how paper chromatography works and use chromatograms to classify substances as pure or a mixture.
Chromatography: paper
I can describe how paper chromatography works and use chromatograms to classify substances as pure or a mixture.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Chromatography has two phases, stationary and mobile, and separation depends on the distribution between these phases.
- Both aqueous and non-aqueous solvents can be used in chromatography.
- Chromatograms can be used to identify pure and impure substances.
Keywords
Chromatography - Chromatography is a technique that separates the components of a mixture, and the results can be analysed.
Mobile phase - The mobile phase is the movement of a solvent and any dissolved components of a sample along the stationary phase in chromatography.
Stationary phase - The stationary phase is a surface along which the solvent (and any dissolved components) travels. It does not move during chromatography.
Chromatogram - A chromatogram is the resultant pattern of a sample’s components on the stationary phase after chromatography has been carried out.
Common misconception
Pupils can struggle to interpret information that contains several samples on one chromatogram.
Stress a systematic approach to interpreting chromatograms (i.e. use rulers). Live modelling this using a visualiser helps enormously.
To help you plan your year 10 chemistry lesson on: Chromatography: paper, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 chemistry lesson on: Chromatography: paper, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 chemistry lessons from the Separating substances unit, dive into the full secondary chemistry curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
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Supervision
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Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
separating a liquid from an insoluble solid
separating liquids with different boiling points
recovering a dissolved solid from a solution
removing a liquid layer from a mixture
solution
a mixture of immiscible liquids
suspension
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a technique that separates the components of a mixture
the movement of a solvent and dissolved sample components
a surface along which the solvent travels and does not move
the resultant pattern of a sample’s components after chromatography