Editing Gas chromatography (section)

== Operating principle ==
[[Image:Gas chromatograph-vector.svg|thumb|Diagram of a gas chromatograph]]
A gas chromatograph is made of a narrow tube, known as the ''column'', through which the vaporized sample passes, carried along by a continuous flow of inert or nonreactive gas. Components of the sample pass through the column at different rates, depending on their chemical and physical properties and the resulting interactions with the column lining or filling, called the ''stationary phase''. The column is typically enclosed within a temperature controlled oven. As the chemicals exit the end of the column, they are detected and identified electronically.<ref name="Harvey-2000"/>