Chromatography of leaves
Today I will tell you about another experiment we have done with plants. This one is about seeing the types of coloured chemicals the plant uses to catch energy from the sun. The main one is called chlorophyll and is the one that makes plants look green. But you will see it is not the only one. Chromatography is a way of separating different coloured chemicals by getting them to climb a piece of paper. Different chemicals climb at different speeds and you are able to see the lines or shades they create. Scientists call these chemicals: pigments. In our experiments we are using rubbing alcohol. In Australia you can find the brand "Isocol" in all supermarkets. All you need to do is to cut and squeeze a few leaves into a jar, add enough alcohol to cover the pieces and let it rest for a few hours. After a while, the alcohol gets the colours out of the leaves. The final step is to put a paper strip hanging in the middle. Make sure it doesn't touch the walls of the jar. Here yo...