Centrifugation

Centrifugation involves the use of the centrifugal force for the separation of mixtures.

In chemistry, increasing the effective gravitational force on a test tube so as to more rapidly and completely cause the precipitate to gather on the bottom on the tube. The solution is then either quickly decanted from the tube without disturbing the precipitate or withdrawn by means of a medicine dropper.

Types

There are various types of centrifugation:

• Sucrose gradient centrifugation
• Differential centrifugation

Other applications

• Separating textile.
• Removing water from lettuce after washing it.
• Separating particles from an air-flow using cyclonic separation.

See also: Centrifugation, Centrifugal force, Cyclonic separation, Decantation, Differential centrifugation, Gravitation, Physics, Precipitate, Separation process