Which technique can be used to separate components in a mixture based on their different polarities?

Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) is an effective technique for separating components in a mixture based on their different polarities. In TLC, a small amount of the mixture is applied to a stationary phase, typically a silica gel or alumina plate. As a solvent (the mobile phase) moves up the plate through capillary action, the components of the mixture travel with the solvent at different rates, depending on their affinity for the stationary phase versus the solvent.

Polar compounds tend to interact more strongly with the polar stationary phase, leading them to travel more slowly up the plate compared to non-polar compounds, which move more readily with the solvent. This differential movement based on polarity allows for effective separation of the components in the mixture. Therefore, TLC is widely used in organic chemistry laboratories for analyzing and separating small scale samples based on their polarity.

In contrast, techniques like distillation primarily separate components based on differences in boiling points, while filtration is used for separating solids from liquids without regard to polarity. Evaporation, on the other hand, is primarily used to remove solvents rather than to separate components based on their chemical properties.