Chromatography is a method of separating the different components of a mixture. In this paper chromatography activity, you are using paper as a solid support to separate the different dye molecules used to color M&M’s. Even though the brown M&M appears to be brown, it is actually made up of 2 different dyes. Some dye molecules in the brown candy (like the blue dye) are more attracted to the paper and move up the filter while the red dye dissolves more easily in water and doesn’t move up the paper as well. The different rates of attraction and how well a substance dissolves in water determined how much separation you will see with your dyes.