Question

1. repeat for as many different colors as assigned.
2. repeat using a isopropyl alcohol as the solvent for permanent marker.

data table:
marker color and brand

colors absorbed top to bottom (solvent: water)	colors observed top to bottom (solvent: alcohol)
orange rf= .25	purple= 3.5
yellow rf= .29	indigo= 3.5
green rf= .185	black = 3.5
pink rf= 22
purple rf= .25

questions:

1. what marker colors were mixtures? yellow, pink, orange, green, purple, baby pink
2. why is isopropyl alcohol a better mobile phase than h₂o for permanent markers?

Explanation:

Question 2

Permanent marker inks are typically non - polar or have non - polar components. Isopropyl alcohol is an organic solvent and is more non - polar than water (which is polar). According to the principle of "like dissolves like", a non - polar or less polar solvent (isopropyl alcohol) can better dissolve the non - polar solutes (inks in permanent markers) and carry them along the stationary phase (like paper in chromatography) compared to water. So it acts as a better mobile phase for separating the components of permanent marker inks.

Answer:

Permanent marker inks have non - polar components. Isopropyl alcohol (a less polar/organic solvent) dissolves these inks better than water (polar) due to "like dissolves like", so it moves the ink components more effectively as a mobile phase.