Associate Safety Professional Practice Exam

What does a gas chromatograph primarily analyze?

1. Solid materials

2. Liquid solutions

3. Gaseous mixtures

4. Electromagnetic waves

The correct answer is: Gaseous mixtures

A gas chromatograph is primarily designed to analyze gaseous mixtures. It operates by separating the components of a gas sample based on their interaction with a stationary phase within a column and a mobile phase that carries the sample through the column. As the different components travel through the column, they separate based on properties such as their volatility and affinity for the stationary phase. The resulting data allows for identification and quantification of the various compounds present in the gas mixture. The use of a gas chromatograph is particularly advantageous for analyzing volatile substances, making it essential in various fields such as environmental monitoring, pharmaceuticals, and petrochemicals. The instrument is not suitable for solid materials or liquids in their native state, as it is intended for gases; thus, while liquid samples can sometimes be vaporized for analysis, this is not its primary focus. Additionally, electromagnetic waves pertain more to spectroscopic analysis techniques rather than to gas chromatography, which is fundamentally a separation technique specific to gases.