Electrophoresis is the process of exposing dispersed
particles to a spatially uniform electric field, causing movement through a
medium. In biochemistry, this process separates molecules by size, charge, or
binding affinity. When placed in an electric field, an ambiguously charged
molecule will travel toward the oppositely charged end of the medium. This
clearly displays the charge on the molecule, as a positively molecule would
travel toward the negative pool and a negatively charged molecule will travel
toward the positive pole. The size of a molecule can be determine by comparing
the distance it travels through the medium over a finite time to the distance
traveled by a molecule of known size.