Electrophoresis
A separation technique in which charged species migrate through a medium under an applied electric field.
Formula / equation
v = μE
Unit
cm/s
In depth
Migration rate depends on charge, size and shape, so molecules separate according to their charge-to-size ratio. Gel electrophoresis adds a sieving effect that separates by size alone, which is what makes DNA fragment analysis possible.
Examples in the real world
Separating DNA fragments in agarose for genetic fingerprinting; separating serum proteins for clinical diagnosis.