Thin-layer Chromatography
An interactive animation of thin-layer (or paper) chromatography is shown below. Chem21 animations provide a safe learning environment where students receive full credit once the activity is completed correctly, regardless of how many attempts it takes. The TLC tutorial is routinely assigned in the lab course as a pre- / post-lab learning engagement.
To complete the TLC tutorial . . . .
- click the pencil icon to start the animation
- continue clicking the pencil icon to progress through the tutorial
- calculate the Rf values of the known compounds
- identify the compounds present in the "virtual unknown"
- each student has a randomly-selected mixture of compounds in their virtual unknown
- if the student incorrectly calculates a Rf value or mis-identifies a compound in the virtual unknown, they must restart the tutorial . . . . a log of their results is saved so the instructor can review the student's work history
- students receive full credit when they correctly complete the tutorial - it does not matter how many times they must restart it