This is for organic chem lab.
I don't understand how to calculate the relative Rf values by setting ibuprofen to 1.00. For example, my Rf value for aspirin is 0.046, so how do I calculate the Rf relative to ibuprofen (1.00)?
My experimental data for ibuprofen is 0.55 if that helps.
In essence you need
1.00 x 0.046/0.55
imagine that the solvent front has moved 10 cm then the ibuprofen spot has moved 5.5 cm and the aspirin spot has moved 0.46 cm. So if we take the ibuprofen as Rf = 1.00 then the distances travelled by other spots are relative to this. So the Rf of the aspirin is 0.46 cm/5.5 cm (relative to ibuprofen).
To calculate the relative Rf values with ibuprofen set as 1.00, you need to divide the Rf value of each compound by the Rf value of ibuprofen.
In your case, the Rf value of ibuprofen is 0.55, and the Rf value of aspirin is 0.046.
So, to calculate the relative Rf value of aspirin, you divide the Rf value of aspirin by the Rf value of ibuprofen:
Relative Rf value of aspirin = Rf value of aspirin / Rf value of ibuprofen
= 0.046 / 0.55
≈ 0.084
Therefore, the relative Rf value of aspirin, relative to ibuprofen (1.00), is approximately 0.084.