Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Liquid chromatography is a technique used to separate and analyze components of a mixture based on their interactions with a stationary phase and a mobile phase in liquid form.
The stationary phase refers to the solid or liquid material that does not move during liquid chromatography. It interacts with solutes and separates them based on their affinities for it.
The mobile phase refers to the liquid (solvent) that carries solutes through the stationary phase. Different solvents can be chosen depending on their compatibility with both the solutes and stationary phase.
Separation: In liquid chromatography, separation refers to the process of isolating individual components from a mixture by exploiting their different interactions with the stationary and mobile phases.