Magic marker inks are often mixtures of several compounds. Paper chromatography is a common method of separating various components of a mixture. After separation, you can observe the different colors that make up a particular color of magic marker ink. You can also calculate a ratio Rf, which compares how far each compound traveled to how far each solvent (substance that dissolves another substance) traveled during the experiment. Rf = Ds/Df Ds = Distance traveled by the compound Df = Distance traveled by the solvent Materials: Post-Lab Questions: