Separation factor

The separation factor is a measure of how effectively a process can differentiate between two substances, like different gases or components in a mixture. It compares how much of each substance the process retains or separates after treatment. A higher separation factor indicates a greater ability to distinguish and separate the two components, making the process more efficient at isolating each substance. Think of it as a measure of the "selectivity" or precision of a separation technique, helping determine the quality and effectiveness of processes like distillation, filtration, or chromatography.