What characteristic does chromatography exploit to separate components?

Chromatography is a technique that separates components based on their differences in polarity or molecular size. This separation occurs because various substances interact differently with the stationary phase (the material that does not move) and the mobile phase (the solvent or gas that flows through the stationary phase).

For example, in liquid chromatography, polar substances tend to interact more strongly with a polar stationary phase, while nonpolar substances will travel more quickly through the stationary phase due to weaker interactions. As a result, components are separated based on how strongly they adhere to the stationary phase versus how readily they move with the mobile phase, leading to a distinct separation of the different substances over time.

Thus, the fundamental principle that allows chromatography to effectively separate mixtures is this variation in how different molecules, based on their polarity or size, interact with the phases involved in the process.