Meaning & use
gas chromatography
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountabletechnicalchemistry
A method of separating and analyzing chemicals by turning them into gas and passing them through a special column.
Grammar: No plural; used with a singular verb: Gas chromatography is a powerful tool.
Patterns
- gas chromatography is used to
- by gas chromatography
- gas chromatography analysis
The lab uses gas chromatography to test for alcohol in blood samples.
Gas chromatography is often combined with mass spectrometry for identification.
She learned gas chromatography as part of her chemistry degree.
nouncountabletechnicalchemistry
A particular procedure or test using this method.
Grammar: Can be countable when referring to a specific test or run: We ran three gas chromatographies.
Patterns
- run a gas chromatography
- perform gas chromatography
The technician ran a gas chromatography on the sample to check for impurities.
They performed gas chromatography to separate the mixture's components.
Common combinations
- gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is a common analytical technique.
- gas chromatography column
- The gas chromatography column needs to be replaced regularly.
- gas chromatography analysis
- Gas chromatography analysis revealed the presence of several compounds.
- gas chromatography system
- The new gas chromatography system is more sensitive than the old one.
Synonyms and how they differ
- GC
- The common abbreviation; use it after first mentioning the full term.
- gas-liquid chromatography
- An older, more specific term for the same technique; now less common.
Word family
- gas chromatograph noun
- The instrument used to perform gas chromatography.
- gas chromatographic adjective
- Relating to gas chromatography, as in 'gas chromatographic analysis'.
Commonly confused: gas chromatography or liquid chromatography?
gas chromatography vs liquid chromatography
Similar method but uses a liquid mobile phase instead of gas.
Practice
The scientist used _____ to separate the volatile compounds in the sample.
Choose one answer.
'Gas chromatography' is uncountable and takes no article when referring to the method in general. 'A gas chromatography' and 'gas chromatographies' are wrong because the noun is not countable in this sense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gas chromatography”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.