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Why do lighter gases concentrate near the axis of a gas centrifuge?
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centrifuge
Figure 1: Tubular centrifuge
When a mixture of gases is spun at high speeds within a centrifuge, a radial pressure gradient is established. Because the centrifugal force acting on the molecules is proportional to their mass, the heavier gaseous molecules are pushed more strongly toward the outer walls of the spinning vessel.123
As a result of this displacement, the lighter gas molecules are effectively concentrated near the axis of rotation. This principle allows for the separation of gases or isotopes with different molecular weights, a process that has been utilized for applications such as the enrichment of uranium for nuclear power.21