Question

A particular gas chromatograph is set up with a nonpolar stationary phase. A nonpolar component injected onto the column will have a ______ retention time than a polar component.

a) higher
b) lower
c) equal
d) cannot be determined

Answer 1

In a gas chromatograph with a nonpolar stationary phase, a nonpolar component will have a lower retention time compared to a polar component, which is drawn to the stationary phase and therefore retained longer.

Step-by-step explanation:

A particular gas chromatograph is set up with a nonpolar stationary phase. A nonpolar component injected onto the column will have a lower retention time than a polar component. The correct answer is b) lower.

When a gas chromatograph is equipped with a nonpolar stationary phase, nonpolar components tend to elute more quickly because they have less affinity for the stationary phase compared to polar components. As a result, nonpolar compounds will spend less time on the column, leading to a shorter retention time. Polar components, on the other hand, have a higher affinity for the nonpolar stationary phase, which results in them being retained for a longer time on the column.