Chromatography Bag (Creative Chemistry Experiments)

You will need:

1. Water based felt pen
   (black colour)
2. White canvas/cloth bag
3. Rubbing alcohol
4. Eye dropper
5. Small cup
6. Tray/plate

Mixing science with art is always a good idea. Chromatography may sound scary. But follow this simple project and you’ll be pleased with the results.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take the black felt pen and the white canvas/cloth bag.
2. Keep in mind to use a black felt pen only, and not a permanent marker.
3. Draw the design you want on your bag. Preferably, keep it a dark outline with a lot of blank space in between.
4. Now take a tray or plate and keep the bag on it.
5. Use the eye dropper to drop the rubbing alcohol gently onto the black outline of the bag, till it soaks the bag completely.
6. Let the bag dry for a few hours or overnight.

RESULT

The black on the bag would have separated into colours, because of chromatography, which is the easy separation of mixtures of compounds using the concept of absorption. Black colour separates into mostly blue, but also with some red and brown mixed in it.