chromatography
/ˌkrəʊ.məˈtɒɡ.rə.fi/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A scientific method used to separate the parts of a mixture. It works because different substances move at different speeds through another material.
- The lab used chromatography to separate the dyes.
- Paper chromatography showed the ink had two colours.
- Chromatography helps identify chemicals in a sample.
Adinary Nuance
Chromatography is not the same as simple filtering or testing. Filtering removes solid particles, but chromatography separates mixed substances by how they move. In science writing, it sounds more exact than 'separation' or 'analysis'.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- sắc ký
- Spanish
- cromatografía
- Chinese
- 色谱法
- Japanese
- クロマトグラフィー
- Korean
- 크로마토그래피
Etymology
Chromatography comes from Greek words meaning 'colour' and 'writing'. It was named in the early 1900s, when scientists first used it to separate coloured substances.
Common phrases
paper chromatographygas chromatographychromatography testchromatography column
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is chromatography a science word?
- Yes. It is mostly used in chemistry, biology, and lab work.
- How is chromatography different from filtration?
- Filtration removes solids from liquids. Chromatography separates dissolved substances.
- Is chromatography common in academic writing?
- Yes. It is common in textbooks, reports, and research papers.