Chromatography is a technique used for seperating mixtures. In all of the variations of Chromatography, a substance is placed onto or into a medium and then a solvent passes through the test substance, some of the test substance may be attracted to the solven and follow it up in the medium. Different types of molecules are transported different distances, causing them to seperate. In these activities, filter paper is the medium, solvent is the solvent and black ink is the test substance. Chromatography is used in crime labs to seperate the components of 'clue' substances such as blood, ink or other mixtures found at the scene of a crime. Chromatograms of these clue substances are then compared with those of the suspected sources.
Chromatography Monday 9th May 2011
L.I I am learning the process of the chromatography and use this
to assist with solving the crime.
Aim: To use chromatography to distinguish which pen was used in the ransom note.
Hypothesis: I think that vivid is the pen that was used because it is thicker writing.
Black marker x5
Casade marker x14
Sharpie x3
Vivid x4
Equipment - Beaker, felt pens, ransom note, filter paper, water, hand lens, masking tape and straws.
Method:
1. Gather samples of pens.
2. Draw a line across a strip of filter paper, 1-4cm from the bottom.
3. Attach to straw with masking tape.
4. Put filter paper in beaker, making sure the ink is at least 1-2cm above
the water.
5. Observe.
6. Remove filter when water has travelled about 3/4 of the way up the strip.
7. Compare results with the ransom note results.
Results -
1. Black Ballpoint Pen
2. Vivid
3. Cascade marker
4. Sharpie
5. Black marker
Reflection - I have learnt that by using water and dipping some filtered paper into a cup of water with pen on it you can find out what pen has been used for a crime or as evidence.
The kitchen cupboard has got very damp and the labels have fallen off some
of the containers. From the label scraps it is found that there is:
Use a series of simple tests and good observations to find out what substance is in
each container.
Caution: You are not allowed to taste them! Please use small quantities. Learning Intentions:
1. To become familiar with chromatography and be able to apply it to 'real life'
situations.
2. To perform 'fair tests' in Science identifying substances and fibers.
3. Identify and group fingerprints into 3 main categories: Arch, Loop
and Whorl.
4. Set up and carry out Scientific Experiments following the correct process
of; Aim, Equipment, Hypothesis, Method, Results and Conclusion.
5. Work collaboratively with peers to solve problems using the skills learnt. Lesson Three - Kitchen Chaos Wednesday 11 May 2011:
The kitchen cupboard has got very damp and the labels have fallen off some
of the containers. From the label scraps it is found that there is:
Icing sugar
baking soda
salt
cream of tartar
cornflour
TASK - Make order out of chaos
Use a series of simple tests and good observations to find out what substance is in
each container.
Caution: You are not allowed to taste them! Please use small quantities.
Aim: to find out what the substance is by carrying out a series of simple tests.
Hypothesis:
I think that the substance in the different containers is;
Substance A - Corn Flour
Substance B - Salt
Substance C - Icing Sugar
Substance D - Baking Soda
Substance E - Cream of Tartar
Equipment - Five containers with the different substances labelled A, B, C, D, E.
- Eyedroppers
- Vinegar
- Magnifying Glass
- Litmus Paper (red and blue)
- Iodine
CLUES TO HELP YOU
1. Cream of tartar is an acid, and turns blue litmus paper red.
2. Cornflour and sugar are neutral and don't affect litmus paper.
3. Salt and bicarbonate of soda are alkaline, that is they turn red litmus paper blue
4. Bicarbonate of soda fizzes when mixed with vinegar.
5. Iodine changes from yellow-brown to blue-black with cornflour.
There are many different ways of telling the differences between substances.
You could:
Smell them carefully.
Compare the way they dissolve in water.
Examine with a magnifying glass.
Test the acidity with litmus paper.
Test the reaction with vinegar and iodine.
Results:
Substance A is Substance B is
Substance C is Substance D is
Substance E is Lesson Four - Finger Prints Wednesday 18 May 2011:
Every person's fingerprint are as different as each person. The use
of fingerprints is very important for the police whose only evidence at
a robbery might be the fingerprints left by the thief. Police keep a
record of fingerprints of criminals in banks of computers.
Method
1. Rub the side of a pencil lead back and forth on a sheet of paper to build
up the black area large enough to take 10 prints.
2. Press one of your fingertips firmly onto the black. Place the sticky side of a
piece of tape over your fingertip. (You may need a friend to help you with this.)
3. Tape the print to the correct location on the fingerprint form. 4. Using the magnifying glass compare your prints to the pictures above and try to label them as either arches, loops or whorls.
Thumb=whorl
Index finger=whorl
Middle finger=whorl
Ring finger=whorl
Pinky=whorl Lesson 5 - Hair Analysis Friday 20 May 2011:
Learning Intention: We are learning to
1. think about the process involved in developing a technique for forensic analysis
2. identify the physical structures of hair
3. use our observational skills, critical thinking and microscopy
Background information
Unfortunately hair is not the best type of physical evidence for establishing identity. It is not possible to show with any certainty that two hairs came from the same person or animal. However hair can be used to rule out certain suspects or scenarios. It can also be used to corroborate (support) other physical evidence if it is consistent with the rest of the evidence.
Guide to Identification
Cuticle - Outer coating composed of overlapping scales
images-1.jpeg
images-1.jpeg
images.jpeg
images.jpeg
Medulla - Central core, this may be absent
images-2.jpeg
images-2.jpeg
images-3.jpeg
images-3.jpeg
Cortex - Protein rich structure surrounding the medulla; contains pigment
Lesson One - Paper Chromatography
Chromatography is a technique used for seperating mixtures. In all of the variations of Chromatography, a substance is placed onto or into a medium and then a solvent passes through the test substance, some of the test substance may be attracted to the solven and follow it up in the medium. Different types of molecules are transported different distances, causing them to seperate. In these activities, filter paper is the medium, solvent is the solvent and black ink is the test substance. Chromatography is used in crime labs to seperate the components of 'clue' substances such as blood, ink or other mixtures found at the scene of a crime. Chromatograms of these clue substances are then compared with those of the suspected sources.
Chromatography Monday 9th May 2011
L.I I am learning the process of the chromatography and use this
to assist with solving the crime.
Aim: To use chromatography to distinguish which pen was used in the ransom note.
Hypothesis: I think that vivid is the pen that was used because it is thicker writing.
Black marker x5
Casade marker x14
Sharpie x3
Vivid x4
Equipment - Beaker, felt pens, ransom note, filter paper, water, hand lens, masking tape and straws.
Method:
1. Gather samples of pens.
2. Draw a line across a strip of filter paper, 1-4cm from the bottom.
3. Attach to straw with masking tape.
4. Put filter paper in beaker, making sure the ink is at least 1-2cm above
the water.
5. Observe.
6. Remove filter when water has travelled about 3/4 of the way up the strip.
7. Compare results with the ransom note results.
Results -
1. Black Ballpoint Pen
2. Vivid
3. Cascade marker
4. Sharpie
5. Black marker
Reflection - I have learnt that by using water and dipping some filtered paper into a cup of water with pen on it you can find out what pen has been used for a crime or as evidence.
The kitchen cupboard has got very damp and the labels have fallen off some
of the containers. From the label scraps it is found that there is:
Use a series of simple tests and good observations to find out what substance is in
each container.
Caution: You are not allowed to taste them! Please use small quantities.
Learning Intentions:
1. To become familiar with chromatography and be able to apply it to 'real life'
situations.
2. To perform 'fair tests' in Science identifying substances and fibers.
3. Identify and group fingerprints into 3 main categories: Arch, Loop
and Whorl.
4. Set up and carry out Scientific Experiments following the correct process
of; Aim, Equipment, Hypothesis, Method, Results and Conclusion.
5. Work collaboratively with peers to solve problems using the skills learnt.
Lesson Three - Kitchen Chaos Wednesday 11 May 2011:
The kitchen cupboard has got very damp and the labels have fallen off some
of the containers. From the label scraps it is found that there is:
Icing sugar
baking soda
salt
cream of tartar
cornflour
TASK - Make order out of chaos
Use a series of simple tests and good observations to find out what substance is in
each container.
Caution: You are not allowed to taste them! Please use small quantities.
Aim: to find out what the substance is by carrying out a series of simple tests.
Hypothesis:
I think that the substance in the different containers is;
Substance A - Corn Flour
Substance B - Salt
Substance C - Icing Sugar
Substance D - Baking Soda
Substance E - Cream of Tartar
Equipment - Five containers with the different substances labelled A, B, C, D, E.
- Eyedroppers
- Vinegar
- Magnifying Glass
- Litmus Paper (red and blue)
- Iodine
CLUES TO HELP YOU
1. Cream of tartar is an acid, and turns blue litmus paper red.
2. Cornflour and sugar are neutral and don't affect litmus paper.
3. Salt and bicarbonate of soda are alkaline, that is they turn red litmus paper blue
4. Bicarbonate of soda fizzes when mixed with vinegar.
5. Iodine changes from yellow-brown to blue-black with cornflour.
There are many different ways of telling the differences between substances.
You could:
Results:
Substance A is Substance B is
Substance C is Substance D is
Substance E is
Lesson Four - Finger Prints Wednesday 18 May 2011:
Every person's fingerprint are as different as each person. The use
of fingerprints is very important for the police whose only evidence at
a robbery might be the fingerprints left by the thief. Police keep a
record of fingerprints of criminals in banks of computers.
Different types of Prints
Loop Whorl Arch
Your Fingerprints
Equipment - Pencil, Paper, Sticky tape, Magnifying glass.
Method
1. Rub the side of a pencil lead back and forth on a sheet of paper to build
up the black area large enough to take 10 prints.
2. Press one of your fingertips firmly onto the black. Place the sticky side of a
piece of tape over your fingertip. (You may need a friend to help you with this.)
3. Tape the print to the correct location on the fingerprint form.
4. Using the magnifying glass compare your prints to the pictures above and try to label them as either arches, loops or whorls.
Thumb=whorl
Index finger=whorl
Middle finger=whorl
Ring finger=whorl
Pinky=whorl
Lesson 5 - Hair Analysis Friday 20 May 2011:
Learning Intention: We are learning to
1. think about the process involved in developing a technique for forensic analysis
2. identify the physical structures of hair
3. use our observational skills, critical thinking and microscopy
Background information
Unfortunately hair is not the best type of physical evidence for establishing identity. It is not possible to show with any certainty that two hairs came from the same person or animal. However hair can be used to rule out certain suspects or scenarios. It can also be used to corroborate (support) other physical evidence if it is consistent with the rest of the evidence.
Guide to Identification
Cuticle - Outer coating composed of overlapping scales
Medulla - Central core, this may be absent
Cortex - Protein rich structure surrounding the medulla; contains pigment