Astrophysics (Index)About

fractionation

(separation of one chemical mixture into others)

Fractionation is the separation of a chemical mixture into mixtures with other ratios and/into or (virtually) pure compounds. (Pure compounds are virtually impossible, and fractionation is sometimes the means of producing something nearly pure.) Some kind of fractionation commonly accompanies a phase change of a mixture, e.g., during a change from liquid to gas. Laboratory methods of fractionation include the use of a centrifuge, as well as through distillation, the former method by accelerating the mixture to the point that denser compounds "push aside" less dense compounds, and the latter method by raising the temperature to the point that one of the molecular species evaporates. Such fractionation can occur in nature (e.g., iron falling into the center of a forming planet to form an iron core) and are components of planet formation and atmosphere formation.

Isotope fractionation is such a separation that produces mixtures with new isotope ratios.


(chemistry,physics)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractionation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope_fractionation
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fractionation
https://www.britannica.com/science/fractionation
https://www.chemeurope.com/en/encyclopedia/Fractionation.html
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/61707

Referenced by pages:
abundances
fractionation factor

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