In a chromatography experiment the solvent in the beaker must be below the start line.
Why is this important?
So the paper does not bend over inside the beaker
So the solvent travels up the paper more slowly
So the spots do not dissolve straight into the solvent
So the solvent reaches the top of the paper evenly
40 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Chemistry 8.1 Purity, formulations and chromatography, covering 8.1.1 Pure substances, 8.1.2 Formulations, and 8.1.3 Chromatography. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.