Why do you collect quite a few small fractions (3mL each) rather than only a few larger fractions (20mL) in column chromatography?
Column chromatography is used to separate the individual pure components for a mixture of crude compound.
Typically column chromatography consists of two phases, stationary phase, and mobile phase. Stationary phase (for example silica gel) generally packed in the column and mobile phase (generally mixture of solvents) run through the stationary phase. Based on the interactions with the stationary phase, the individual components start separating in the column.
During this separation process, it is important to collect small fractions of mobile phase rather than few larger fractions. There is a chance of collecting more than one component of the crude compound in larger fractions of the mobile phase. To avoid this small fractions of mobile phase should be collected in test tubes.
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