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Centrifugation - (Dec/24/2008 )

Note: This is not a homework question. This is part of a study effort for an upcoming test.

In a centrifuge, do the tubes spin around their own centers as well as spinning around the centrifuge's axis (like the Earth spins around the earth's own center and the sun) or do the tubes simply spin around the centrifuge's axis???????????????

The progress I made: My textbooks hardly even mention it and when I googled it, I couldn't find anything pertinent to my question.

-thewax-



The tube themselves do not spin around their own axis.
The tube spin around the centrifuge's axis. (earth around the sun). Ths is why the tubes opposite each other, within a centrifuge must be equal. If not, if the tubes are not equal or very nearly equal, the force once the centrifuge starts become unbalanced. And this cause an unequal force on the arm of the centrifuge which ultimately results in the dramatic and sometimes explosive destruction of the centrifuge.

-perneseblue-

Okay... Thanks!!!!!!!!!! smile.gif

-thewax-