Chemist runs a thin–layer chromatography (tlc) plate and, after development, notices that all of the spots are at the upper region of the tlc plate and are very close together. select the most likely cause of this result.

Answer;

An ineffective developing solvent was used.

Explanation;

-Quick elution and poor separation are indicative of the compounds traveling quickly up the plate and not interacting sufficiently with the stationary phase.

-Chromatography works on the principle that different compounds will have different solubility and adsorption to the two phases between which they are to be partitioned. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) is a solid-liquid technique in which the two phases are a solid (stationary phase) and a liquid (moving phase).