Service Modules

A laboratory centrifuge is a piece of laboratory equipment, driven by a motor, which spins liquid samples at high speed. There are various types of centrifuges, depending on the size and the sample capacity.
Like all other centrifuges, laboratory centrifuges work by the sedimentation principle, where the centripetal acceleration is used to separate substances of greater and lesser density.

Operation

Increasing the effective gravitational force will more rapidly and completely cause the precipitate to gather on the bottom of the tube as a "pellet". The remaining solution is called the "supernate" or "supernatant".
The supernatant liquid is then either quickly decanted from the tube without disturbing the pellet, or withdrawn with a Pasteur pipette. The rate of centrifugation is specified by the acceleration applied to the sample, typically measured in revolutions per minute (RPM) or relative centrifugal force (RCF). The particles' settling velocity in centrifugation is a function of their size and shape, centrifugal acceleration, the volume fraction of solids present, the density difference between the particle and the liquid, and the viscosity.
The use of a centrifuge is known as centrifugation.