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Six facts about centrifugation

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  • It is used to separate cell components so that they can be studied.

  • The homogenate is centrifuged at a speed and time designed to separate particular components.

  • The sediment at slow speeds will contain denser components such as chloroplasts.

  • The supernatant may be centrifuged again at greater speeds to extract less dense fractions.
The liquid left at the top of the centrifuge tube containing components too light to settle. Chopped up with a machine like a liquidiser. An isotonic liquid has a water potential equal to the water potential of a cell.