Final answer:
In chromatography, the mobile phase is the solvent that moves through the stationary phase, which consists of tiny packed particles in a column. Different solutes separate based on their affinity to the stationary phase, with those having higher partition coefficients eluting more slowly in a process visualized through a chromatogram.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mobile phase in chromatography refers to the solvent that carries the mixture through the stationary phase, and in column chromatography, it is the solution that passes through the column. The stationary phase is the medium through which the mobile phase flows; it is represented by the very tiny particles packed inside the column in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As the mobile phase carries different solutes down through the column, they interact with the stationary phase to varying degrees based on their affinity towards it. Components with higher partition coefficients will be more attracted to the stationary phase and therefore will take longer to elute. On the contrary, solutes with lower affinity for the stationary phase move through the column more quickly, leading to the separation of substances based on their interactions with the stationary phase.
For specific solutes, such as phosphatidylcholines, which are separated using HPLC, those with a stronger affinity for the packed particles in the stationary phase will elute more slowly than those with weaker interactions. This differential movement results in the separation and often is visualized in a chromatogram.