Chromatography for Kids

 Felt pens are often mixes of several coloured dyes.


 We separated these combinations of colours through a process called chromatography.

 This is what we did:- We had filter paper strips stuck to a kebab stick, plastic cups, water , and our felt pens (which are water soluble)
We put a couple of different coloured dots near the bottom of our strips of filter paper and placed them in the cups.

We put some water in the bottom of the cups – but only enough to touch the bottom of the filter paper.

We observed the colours moving up the filter and how the colours split up.

 What's Happening? When the liquid creeps up the coffee filter, it dissolves the colouring molecules and splits it into different coloured chemicals. Different colours get carried along faster and farther than others because some colour molecules are bigger and heavier than others. http://www.education.com/activity/article/Color_Science_kindergarten/