Chromatography Rf Values Flowers

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DRog
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Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 3:33 pm
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Chromatography Rf Values Flowers

Post by DRog »

8th Grade Science Fair:
Comparing flower petal pigments and Rf values

My Data Results show:
Pale Yellow Carnation petals with Rf of .97 (petals crushed in 4 tsps of 100% acetone, poured liquid into glass beaker, chromatography grade 1 strip)
Fuschia colored Dianthus (mini type of carnation) petals with Rf of .93 (petals crushed in 4 tsps of 100% acetone, poured liquid into glass beaker, chromatography grade 1 strip)
Deep Red Lincoln Rose petals with Rf of .97 (petals crushed in 4 tsps of 100% acetone, poured liquid into glass beaker, chromatography grade 1 strip)
Gold Strike Yellow Rose petal with Rf of .88 (petals crushed in 4 tsps of 100% acetone, poured liquid into glass beaker, chromatography grade 1 strip)

My problem: I am confused because I thought that Anthocyanin (reds/fuschia/violets and Flavon-yellow) produced lower Rf(s) like .32-.62 than Carotenoids (xanthophylls and carotene) due to hydrogen amounts and oxygen amounts. How could my Anthocyanin (red rose and fuschia Dianthus) be as high in Rf value as my Carotenoid xanthophylls (solid yellow carnation and solid yellow rose)? Also, my pale yellow carnation had a higher level of Rf than my yellow rose and I tested the strip and liquid under UV light of 395 nm (flashlight) and this was the only flower of my group (carnations and roses) where the liquid and chromatography strip were a bright fluorescent yellow. Could this effect the .97 Rf and does it mean that the yellow carnation is ID as a xanthophyll of the carotenoid colors?

Please, help me understand better how to ID the colors of my chromatography findings and the Rf nature of them. I am confused! Thank you in advance for any help on this.



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