Paper and Leaf Chromatography
An Art/Science Lesson
Maker Day at WPU/William Paterson University
WPU College of Education
March 9, 2018
Triada Samaras
WPU Adjunct Professor of Art Education and Art PIR/Professor in Residence
Cell 917-558-6157
Assistant: Maxine Kane
Chromatography is a laboratory technique for the separation of a mixture.
It has both science and art learning built into it and makes for a interesting STEAM lesson or project.
SWL: Students will learn that mixtures (for examples dyes) and plants, for example, leaves, contain numerous pigments.
SWD: Students will learn how to use chromatography to reveal the various pigments in a dye or leaf.
Prompt:
How do you think we might separate the pigments in a dye (marker) or a leaf using a laboratory technique? How many distinct pigments or colors do you think a leaf (marker) has? How might we test this?
Vocabulary:
Art: Pigment, hue, dye, marker, color, tint, tone, chromatography
Science: Chlorophylll, photosynthesis, solution, carontenoids, anthocyanins
Supplies Needed: Coffee filters and/or chromatography strips, markers, crushed leaves, spinach etc., rubbing alcohol, scissors, tape, cups, water, pencil, mortar and pestle, pipe cleaners.
Activity:
Teachers and students can approach learning CHROMATOGRAHY in an experimental way both as a scientific process and an artistic one using the art or science method/s.
For leaves, spinach, and organic matter students must use the mortar and pestle to first crush the organic matter and then add a few drops of alcohol to it in order to extract from liquid pigment from the matter.
For dyes such as inks and/or markers students can draw lines on strips of coffee filter paper and/or chromatography strips and experiment with watching the colors separate from various markers. Alcohol might be used for permanent markers.
Results:
Scientific results can be noted in a science note book.
Art results can consist of an art object created from the chromatography paper experiments such as a “flower.”
Resources:
Many Youtube videos on chromatography are excellent and brief enough to use as a teaching tool in the classroom.
