Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is a technique used to separate and identify components of a mixture. It works by distributing the mixture between a stationary phase coated on a plate and a mobile phase solvent that travels up the plate. Components separate based on how much they adsorb to the stationary phase versus dissolve in the mobile phase. To perform TLC, a small amount of the mixture is spotted on the plate and the plate is developed in a solvent chamber. This allows the mobile phase solvent to carry components up the plate at different rates, separating them into visible spots that can then be analyzed.