Final answer:
The statement is True; a protein sample that remains longer in the chromatography column will have a higher retention time, indicating a higher affinity for the stationary phase and resulting in sharper and more distinct peaks.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the longer the protein sample is in the chromatography column the higher the retention time is True. In chromatography, the retention time refers to the time a solute spends on the column after the sample is injected. This time is measured relative to the void time, which is the fastest time a molecule takes to pass through the column without interacting with the stationary phase. A longer stay in the column indicates that the protein sample has a higher affinity for the stationary phase and hence a higher retention time. Efficient separations result in sharp peaks with high resolution, indicating a successful separation with each compound being well-differentiated by their retention times.