Thin layer chromatography of a mixture shows the following observation:
The correct order of elution in the silica gel column chromatography is

Solution

Chemistry ma’am · 3 steps

The spot that climbs highest on the TLC plate is the one that runs out of the column first.

1. Read the plate. The line near the bottom is the baseline where the mixture was spotted. Judge each compound by where its dot sits, not its letter. A is highest, C is a little lower, and B is just above the baseline. So the order of R_f values is A > C > B.
2. Same adsorbent. Both TLC and this column use silica gel, which is polar. A compound that is weakly adsorbed moves fast. It travels far up the plate (high R_f) and also leaves the column early. A strongly adsorbed compound lags behind in both.

   Compound	Position on plate	Hold by silica	Leaves the column
   A	highest, largest R_f	weakest	first
   C	a little below A	moderate	second
   B	just above the baseline, smallest R_f	strongest	last

3. So. The order of elution from the silica gel column is A, C, B, which is option (c).

The idea to keep. On the same adsorbent, higher R_f means weaker adsorption, and that compound elutes first. So the elution order is the order of the spots from the top of the plate down.

Answer from the NTA final answer key. Solution by PrepWiser.