Question

State the principle used in separating different components of a mixture by centrifuge. Write its application also

Answer 1

The centrifuge is an instrument used for the process of centrifugation. The method can be used to separate molecules based on densities of particles. This process is also used to separate very small solid particles from a liquid.

Complete step by step solution:
- As we know, in chemistry a material is formed by the physical combination between different compounds which are mixed in the form of colloids, solutions, suspensions etc. and this is known as a mixture. The individual components in a mixture do not react chemically and they are not in a definite ratio along with they have their own physical properties.
- As we mentioned there are different components in a mixture and the process of separation of these components of a mixture by a physical method can be called as separation of mixtures. There are various separation techniques available for the physical separation of components such as chromatography, evaporation, centrifugation , distillation etc.
- We are asked about the mechanism and principle behind centrifugation. It’s a technique which is used for the separation of minute solid particles from a liquid by the continuous agitation of a mixture at high speed. In this process heavier and lighter components of a mixture of two immiscible liquids are separated by the centripetal and centrifugal forces.
- Centrifuge is the apparatus used for the process of centrifugation. It works on the principle that the denser particles are forced to move to the bottom when spun rapidly and the lighter particles will stay at the top.
- The centrifugation process has a lot of applications including separation of cream or butter from milk, for urine and blood test in diagnostic labs, for the separation of colloidal particles from a solution, squeezing out water from the clothes etc.

Note: It should be noted that mixtures are generally of two types based on their composition. They are homogenous mixtures in which the components have the same proportions throughout the sample and heterogenous mixtures in which the proportion of components are distributed unequally in the sample. The process of centrifugation separates only heterogenous mixtures since this process depends on the size of components.