Liquid chromatography is a technique used to separate a compound or mixture into its various parts. In order to do so, a mobile phase, a stationary phase, and a sample of the given compound are required. The mobile phase is a solvent that forces the compound being tested to move along the stationary phase. While the mobile phase "drags" the compound along the stationary phase, the different parts of the compound separate at different rates leaving a "fingerprint" along the stationary phase.