chromatography
n.n. a scientific method used to separate different substances in a mixture. It works by moving the mixture through a material that slows down some parts more than others.
n. a laboratory technique used to separate mixtures by passing them through a medium that interacts differently with their components. The separation occurs based on the relative affinities of the substances for the stationary and mobile phases.
The scientist used chromatography to identify the different chemicals in the sample.
Paper chromatography is a common method for separating pigments in a leaf extract based on their solubility.
High-performance liquid chromatography allows researchers to isolate specific proteins from a complex biological fluid with high precision and speed, making it essential for pharmaceutical development.
Back-formation from chromatographic, borrowed from German chromatographisch (see there for more); by surface analysis, chromato- + -graphy. The technique is so named because it was developed primarily for the separation of the plant pigments, which would separate in bands of different "colors" (chromato-) .