Question

After separating your partition samples in the burettes, you add 3 drops of ferric chloride to the pre/post-partition salicylic acid solutions. You notice that the pre-partition solutions turned a much more vibrant purple color than their respective post-partition solutions. This suggests that:

a. more salicylic acid would absorb into the GI tract if the microenvironment pH increased
b. salicylic acid has a high partition coefficient in a pH 2 solution
c. less salicylic acid partitioned into the chloroform because the aqueous concentration of salicylic acid increased post-partition
d. the partition into the aqueous layer was greater in the post-partition solutions

Answer 1

This suggests that c. Less salicylic acid partitioned into the chloroform because the aqueous concentration of salicylic acid increased post-partition.(option c)

Step-by-step explanation:

The observation that the pre-partition solutions turned a more vibrant purple color than their respective post-partition solutions after adding ferric chloride suggests that less salicylic acid partitioned into the chloroform during the separation process. The vibrant color change with ferric chloride indicates the presence of salicylic acid, and the difference in color intensity implies a variation in the concentration of salicylic acid between the pre- and post-partition solutions.

The correct interpretation is option c. Less salicylic acid partitioned into the chloroform because the aqueous concentration of salicylic acid increased post-partition. This could be attributed to factors such as changes in pH or the microenvironment during the partition process. The increased aqueous concentration in the post-partition solutions led to a more vibrant color change with ferric chloride, indicating that a smaller amount of salicylic acid remained in the chloroform phase.

Understanding the behavior of solutes like salicylic acid during partition processes is essential in analytical chemistry and pharmaceutical research. The observation of color changes provides valuable insights into the distribution and concentration of substances between different phases, aiding in the characterization and analysis of chemical compounds.(option c)