Step 1: Understand that HPLC stands for High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, a technique used to separate different substances in a mixture.
Step 2: Identify the stationary phase, which is a solid or a liquid that is fixed in place inside the HPLC column.
Step 3: Recognize that the analytes (the substances being separated) pass through the column and interact with the stationary phase.
Step 4: Learn that different analytes interact with the stationary phase in different ways, which affects how quickly they move through the column.
Step 5: Conclude that the role of the stationary phase is to help separate the analytes based on these interactions, allowing for their identification and quantification.
