An Introduction to the Centrifuge

The centrifuge is an instrument used in nearly every research lab across the globe. Centrifugation is the process by which a centrifuge is used to separate components of a complex mixture. By spinning laboratory samples at very high speeds, the components of a given mixture are subjected to centrifugal force, which causes more dense particles to migrate away from the axis of rotation and lighter ones to move toward it. These particles can sediment at the bottom of the tube into what’s known as a pellet, and this isolated specimen, or the remaining solution, the supernatant, can be further processed or analyzed. This video is meant to introduce a student to some of the basic principles of centrifugation, as well as the instrument’s basic operation. For example the speed of centrifugation in rotations per minute, or RPM, is contrasted with relative centrifugal force, or RCF, as a measurement of the magnitude of centrifugation, which is independent of rotor size. In addition to concepts and basic use, safety precautions relating to centrifugation are discussed, as well as the types of centrifuges and centrifuge rotors that exist.