Passage V

Paper chromatography can be used to identify metal ions in wastewater. A drop of sample
solution is placed on filter paper. The bottom of the paper is set in a solvent that travels up the
paper (see Figure 1).

The solvent carries the ions up the paper. Some ions move faster, and therefore farther
than others, resulting in a separation as they move up the paper. The paper is dried, then
stained, causing the ions to appear as colored spots. Rf values are calculated for each spot:

Table 1 shows Rf values for 5 ions. Table 2 shows Rf values from 3 samples of
wastewater. The same solvent was used for all ions and samples.
Table 1

Ion Molar mass Distance Rf Spot

(g/mole) traveled (cm) color

Nickel(N2+) 58.7 0.8 0.08 pink

Cobalt(Co2+) 58.9 3.5 0.35 brown-bl

ack

Copper(Cu2+) 63.5 6.0 0.60 blue

Cadmium(Cd2+ 112.4 7.8 0.78 yellow

)

Mercury(Hg2+) 200.6 9.5 0.95 brown-bl

ack

Table 1 adapted from Thomas McCullough, CSC, and Marissa Curlee, “Qualitative Analysis of
Cations Using Paper Chromatography.” ©1993 by the American Chemical Society.
Table 2
 Sample Rf Spot color

1 0.60 blue
0.78 yellow

2 0.35 brown-black
0.95 brown-black

3 0.08 pink
0.78 yellow
0.95 brown-black

Note: Samples contain only the metal ions listed in Table 1.

1.The information in Tables 1 and 2 supports the conclusion that Sample 3 contains:
a. Cu2+ and Cd2+ only.
b. Co2+ and Hg2+ only.
c. Ni2+, Co2+, and Cd2+ only.
d. Ni2+, Cd2+, and Hg2+ only
2.Based on the information in Tables 1 and 2, one can conclude that Sample 2 contains:
Individual Question
e. 1 metal ion only.
f. 2 metal ions only.
g. either 1 or 2 metal ions.
h. more than 2 metal ions.
3.Based on the information in Table 1, which of the following lists the metal ions in order
from the fastest to slowest speed with which they moved up the paper?
a. Hg2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2
b. Cd2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Hg2+, Ni2+
c. Ni2+, Hg2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Cd2+
d. Ni2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Hg2+
​ 4.Based on the information in Table 2, which of the following figures best illustrates the
appearance of the filter paper after Sample 1 was analyzed?
 A.

B.

C.

D.
5.Based on the information in Table 1, to best identify a metal ion using paper
chromatography, one should know the:
a. spot color for the ion only.
b. distance the solvent traveled only.
c. Rf value and spot color for the ion only.
d. distance the solvent traveled and spot color of the ion only.

Passage IV
Spent fuel (SF), a radioactive waste, is often buried underground in canisters for disposal. As it decays,
SF generates high heat and raises the temperature of the surrounding rock, which may expand and
crack, allowing radioactivity to escape into the environment. Scientists wanted to determine which of 4
rock types—rock salt, granite, basalt, or shale—would be least affected by the heat from SF. The thermal
conductivity (how well heat is conducted through a material) and heating trends of the 4 rock types were
studied.
Study 1
Fifty holes, each 0.5 m across and 20 m deep, were dug into each of the following: a rock salt deposit,
granite bedrock, basalt bedrock, and shale bedrock. A stainless steel canister containing 0.4 metric tons
of SF was buried in each hole. The rock temperature was measured next to each canister after 1 year
had passed. The results are shown in Table 1, along with the typical thermal conductivity of each rock
type, in Watts per meter per °C (W/m°C), at 25°C. The higher the thermal conductivity, the more quickly
heat is conducted through the rock and away from the canisters.
 Table 1

Rock Thermal conductivity (W/m°C) Rock temperature (°C)*

Rock salt 5.70 110

Granite 2.80 121
Basalt 1.26 165
Shale 1.57 146

*All rock types had an initial temperature of 10°C.

Study 2
The scientists determined the thermal conductivity of the 4 rock types at a number of different
temperatures between 0°C and 400°C. The results are shown in Figure 1.

Study 3
The scientists calculated the temperature increase that would be expected over a period of 100,000 yr in
each rock type at a point within a site holding buried SF. The results are shown in Figure 2.
Table and figures adapted from J. S. Y. Wang, D. C. Mangold, and C. F. Tsang, “Thermal Impact of Waste
Emplacement and Surface Cooling Associated with Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste.”
©1988 by Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

​ 1.According to Study 2, the thermal conductivity of rock salt measured at a temperature of 500°C
would be closest to which of the following values?
A. 1.0 W/m°C
B. 2.0 W/m°C
C. 3.5 W/m°C
D. 4.0 W/m°C
2.According to Study 3, if another set of temperatures had been calculated for a time 1,000,000
years in the future, the calculated temperature increase in any of the 4 rock types would most
likely be closest to:
e. 0°C
f. 10°C
g. 20°C
h. 30°C
3.Welded tuff (another rock type) has a thermal conductivity of 1.8 W/m°C at 25°C. If
measurements of the temperature of this rock type adjacent to SF canisters were taken as in
Study 1, the recorded temperature would be closest to:
a. 100°C
b. 110°C
c. 120°C
d. 130°C
4.According to the results of Study 1, which of the following best describes the relationship
between thermal conductivity and rock temperature? As thermal conductivity increases, the rock
temperature recorded adjacent to buried SF canisters:
e. decreases only.
f. increases only.
 g. increases, then decreases.
h. remains the same.
5.Based only on the information provided, which of the following rock types would be the safest in
which to bury SF?
a. Rock salt
b. Granite
c. Basalt
d. Shale
6.Which of the following procedures, in addition to Studies 1, 2, and 3, would best test whether
the amount of heat generated by SF is related to the mass of the SF?
e. Following the design of Study 1 but using concrete canisters containing 0.4 metric tons of
SF
f. Following the design of Study 1 but using stainless steel canisters containing 0.8 metric
tons of SF
g. Following the design of Study 2 but determining the thermal conductivities of twice as
much of each rock type
h. Following the design of Study 3 but determining the rock temperatures 0.5 km from the
sites of SF burial

Passage III
A student performed 2 studies to investigate the factors that affect the germination of peony seeds.
Study 1
Peony seeds were placed in dry containers. Some of the containers were stored at 5°C for either 4, 6, 8,
or 10 weeks. The temperature and time periods were defined as the storage temperature and the storage
period, respectively.
The peony seeds were divided evenly so that there were 20 sets of 25 seeds. Twenty petri dishes
were then prepared. Each contained damp paper. Each set of seeds was placed in a separate petri dish.
Each petri dish was maintained at 1 of 4 temperatures for 30 days. The temperature and time periods
were defined as the germination temperature and the germination period, respectively. Table 1 shows the
number of seeds that germinated in each dish.
Table 1

Number of peony seeds that germinated when

maintained at a germination temperature of:

Storage period
(weeks) 13°C 18°C 23°C 28°C

0 0 0 0 0

4 0 2 0 0

6 3 8 6 0

8 7 22 18 0

10 15 24 21 1
Study 2
Peony seeds were placed in dry containers. The containers were stored at various temperatures
for 10 weeks.
The peony seeds were divided evenly so that there were 20 sets of 25 seeds. Twenty petri dishes
were then prepared. Each contained damp paper. Each set of seeds was placed in a petri dish. The petri
dishes were maintained at 1 of 4 temperatures for 30 days. Table 2 shows the number of seeds that
germinated in each dish.
Table 2

Number of peony seeds that germinated when

maintained at a germination temperature of:

Storage
temperature (°C) 13°C 18°C 23°C 28°C

0 15 24 21 1

5 16 23 21 1

10 0 6 4 0

15 0 0 0 0

20 0 0 0 0

Tables adapted from Joel Beller, Experimenting with Plants. ©1985 by Joel Beller.

1.In general, the results of Study 1 suggest that peony seeds that are placed in a petri dish
containing damp paper are most likely to germinate when they are maintained at which of the
following temperatures?
Individual Question
a. 13° C
b. 18° C
c. 23°C
d. 28°C

2.Suppose another set of 25 peony seeds had been included in Study 2 and these seeds had a
storage temperature of 25°C and a germination temperature of 18°C. Based on the information
provided, the number of seeds that would have germinated after being maintained for 30 days
would most likely have been closest to:
Individual Question
e. 0
f. 8
 g. 16
h. 24
3.In Study 2, at the storage temperature of 5°C, as germination temperature increased from 13°C
to 28°C, the number of seeds that germinated:
Individual Question
a. decreased only.
b. increased only.
c. decreased, then increased.
d. increased, then decreased.
4.Which of the following sets of seeds were exposed to the same conditions prior to being placed
in the petri dishes?
e. The seeds from Study 1 that were stored for 8 weeks and the seeds from Study 2 that
were stored at 5°C
f. The seeds from Study 1 that were stored for 8 weeks and the seeds from Study 2 that
were stored at 15°C
g. The seeds from Study 1 that were stored for 10 weeks and the seeds from Study 2 that
were stored at 5°C
h. The seeds from Study 1 that were stored for 10 weeks and the seeds from Study 2 that
were stored at 15°C
5.A student stored 100 peony seeds at a constant temperature for 10 weeks. The student then
divided the seeds into 4 sets and maintained them as described in Study 2. The results were as
follows:

Germination Number of seeds

temperature (°C) that germinated
13 1
18 6
23 3
28 0
These seeds most likely had a storage temperature of:
Individual Question
a. 0°C
b. 5°C
c. 10°C
d. 15°C
​ 6.The experimental designs of Study 2 and Study 1 differed in that in Study 2:
​ Individual Question
5. storage temperature was held constant.
6. storage time was held constant.
7. germination temperature was varied.
8. germination time was varied.