principles of chromatography

Chromatography is a technique used to separate the different components of a mixture. Imagine a mixture placed on a special surface or within a fluid; each substance in the mixture interacts differently with the surface or solvent. Some move faster, some slower. By controlling these interactions, the substances can be separated and identified. For example, in paper chromatography, the ink’s colors spread at different rates on paper, revealing their individual components. Overall, chromatography relies on differences in how substances dissolve, attach to surfaces, or travel through a medium to achieve separation.