science for tinies: chromatography part II
Feb. 5th, 2012 11:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
psocopteraProject: Can We Unmix Colors Better?
Materials: paper towels, food dye, binder clips, skewers, drinking glasses, water
Explanatory details: A second try at the chromatography experiment, spotting the dyes onto paper towel strips suspended in drinking glasses via binder clips hanging from skewers.
How did it go: We did see action more quickly than with the construction paper, but the actual separation wasn't nearly as good. Lots of sideways bleeding, and a weird effect from the binder clip where the sides of the blot were moving faster than the part directly underneath the clip. This could *maybe* work with a *really small spot* - I'd been dropping the dye directly onto the paper towel, but putting a drop onto some other surface and then dipping something in it to transfer a much smaller amount could work (ah, for a micropipette).
Things we talked about: We did talk this time about the idea that the water is carrying the colors and as it moves up the paper, some of the colors can go faster than others.
What Junie got out of it: She was intrigued by the skewers and really enjoyed helping to set up the clip/skewer/glass assemblages. She squinted with interest at the water as it started to move up the paper towels and encountered the dye and happily came back with me several times to check on how they were doing. So, not bad, but I'll probably set this one aside for awhile and work on other experiments with more action for her.
Materials: paper towels, food dye, binder clips, skewers, drinking glasses, water
Explanatory details: A second try at the chromatography experiment, spotting the dyes onto paper towel strips suspended in drinking glasses via binder clips hanging from skewers.
How did it go: We did see action more quickly than with the construction paper, but the actual separation wasn't nearly as good. Lots of sideways bleeding, and a weird effect from the binder clip where the sides of the blot were moving faster than the part directly underneath the clip. This could *maybe* work with a *really small spot* - I'd been dropping the dye directly onto the paper towel, but putting a drop onto some other surface and then dipping something in it to transfer a much smaller amount could work (ah, for a micropipette).
Things we talked about: We did talk this time about the idea that the water is carrying the colors and as it moves up the paper, some of the colors can go faster than others.
What Junie got out of it: She was intrigued by the skewers and really enjoyed helping to set up the clip/skewer/glass assemblages. She squinted with interest at the water as it started to move up the paper towels and encountered the dye and happily came back with me several times to check on how they were doing. So, not bad, but I'll probably set this one aside for awhile and work on other experiments with more action for her.
