<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations . Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations . (November 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations . Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations . (November 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> Centrifugation is a technique which involves the application of centrifugal force to separate particles from a solution according to their size, shape, density, viscosity of the medium and rotor speed . This process is used to separate two miscible substances, but also to analyze the hydrodynamic properties of macromolecules . More - dense components of the mixture migrate away from the axis of the centrifuge, while less - dense components of the mixture migrate towards the axis . Chemists and biologists may increase the effective gravitational force on a test tube so as to more rapidly and completely cause the precipitate (pellet) to gather on the bottom of the tube . The remaining solution (supernatant) may be discarded with a pipette. . Centrifugation of protein solution, for example, allows elimination of impurities into the supernatant . </P> <P> There is a correlation between the size and density of a particle and the rate that the particle separates from a heterogeneous mixture, when the only force applied is that of gravity . The larger the size and the larger the density of the particles, the faster they separate from the mixture . By applying a larger effective gravitational force to the mixture, like a centrifuge does, the separation of the particles is accelerated . This is ideal in industrial and lab settings because particles that would naturally separate over a long period of time can be separated in much less time . </P>

Where does the pellet form when you are centrifuging