1. COLOR DETECTIVE
By Gavin Russo
03/19/2018

2. Paper chromatography is a method used by scientists to separate the parts in a solution. In this case I am finding out how the marker colors will react on the paper strip when I place it in the water.
QUESTION
How will the colors of ink react when I test them with water on the filter paper strip?
HYPOTHESIS
I think the non-primary colors will split up into different colors because you have to mix different colors to get non-primary colors.

3. PROCEDURE
I cut pieces of filter paper into rectangular strips then drew a line with different non-permanent markers. Then I placed the strips into a glass by clipping it with a binder clip. I added just a little bit of water to the glass so the water would touch the bottom of the strip of filter paper. Then I watched the water rise up the paper and bring the marker color with it. I tested this 4 times with 4 different colors, each for 10 minutes.
MATERIALS:
filter paper
glass
scissors
pencil
4 different markers
binder clip
water
non-primary colors:
every color except red, yellow and blue.
primary colors:
red, yellow, blue.

5. Original color
Colors revealed
red
The red split up into red and pink. Red was on the top and pink was on the bottom.
yellow
The yellow stayed yellow.
green
The green split up into blue, yellow and green. Blue was on the top, green was in the middle, and yellow was on the bottom.
black
The black split up into blue, brown, pink, yellow, and orange. blue was on the top,brown,pink and yellow were in the middle, and orange was on the bottom.

6. Conclusion
My hypothesis turned out to be correct for the most part. The non-primary colors each split up into different colors when I added water, and the red split up into red and pink. The other primary color, yellow, didn’t separate into different colors.
This happened because the marker inks are made up of different color molecules. The water separated them. Some inks are made of a single type of molecule. Others are made up of a mixture of molecules. Using paper chromatography, I was able to separate the colors and see all the colors they were made of.