Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
In chromatography, the chemicals that are used to separate the components of a mixture are called "solvents".
The process works because different compounds in the mixture have different affinities for the stationary phase and the mobile phase. The stationary phase is usually a solid or a liquid that is immobile and the mobile phase is a liquid or a gas that is continuously flowing.
The solvent is the liquid that is used as the mobile phase. It is passed through the stationary phase, which can be a solid or a liquid, and the components of the mixture are separated based on their interactions with the stationary and mobile phases.
There are several types of chromatography that use different solvents and stationary phases, such as:
Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) uses a thin layer of silica or alumina on a glass plate as the stationary phase, and a solvent such as ethyl acetate or hexane as the mobile phase.
Gas Chromatography (GC) uses a solid stationary phase such as a porous beads, and the mobile phase is a gas such as helium, hydrogen or nitrogen.
High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) uses a liquid stationary phase, which is usually a chemically-bonded silica, and solvents such as acetonitrile, methanol or water as the mobile phase.
Each of these methods can separate different compounds based on their chemical and physical properties, thus making it possible for scientists to identify and quantitate the components of a mixture.