Describe the process of centrifugation and its purpose in a lab.

Centrifugation is a laboratory technique that utilizes rapid spinning to apply centrifugal force, which causes components of a mixture to separate based on their density. The process involves placing samples in a centrifuge and spinning them at high speeds. As the centrifuge rotates, denser components move outward to the bottom of the container, forming a pellet, while lighter components remain in the supernatant or liquid above the pellet.

The primary purpose of centrifugation is to effectively separate different substances within a sample, allowing for the isolation and separation of cells, organelles, proteins, and other components. This is particularly important in various applications, such as isolating bacteria from culture media or clarifying solutions in biochemical assays. By using density differences, centrifugation provides a reliable means to purify and concentrate the desired materials for further analysis or processing.