Gas chromatography is a method for the separation and analysis of complex mixtures of volatile organic and inorganic compounds (1:666). Most compounds with boiling points less than 250oC (480oF) can be analyzed using this technique. This paper will describe the apparatus used for gas chromatography, the principles on which it works, how a thermal conductivity detector works in gas chromatography, and whether or not it can be used with a sample of potassium t-butoxide.

General Principles of Gas Chromatography
There are two types of gas chromatography: gas-liquid chromatography, where the sorbent is a nonvolatile liquid called the stationary liquid phase, coated as a thin layer on an inert, granular solid support; and gas-solid chromatography, where the sorbent is a granular solid of large surface area (1:666). The…