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Course: Chemistry library?>?Unit 9
Lesson 4: Separating mixtures and solutionsSeparation of solutions and mixtures chromatography
Problem
A chemist is separating a mixture of two substances, X and Y, using column chromatography. The chemist loads the mixture onto a column filled with silica gel (a polar material) and then flows a nonpolar solvent through the column. Partway through running the column (at ), the chemist observes the separation of X and Y shown below.
Which substance, X or Y, has the stronger attraction for the stationary phase, and why?