Adapting Centrifuge Time and Speed

Lab Academy

What can you do if your centrifuge and rotor provide, e.g., only lower g × force than your protocol requires? You can centrifuge for an appropriate longer length of time. But what centrifuge time and speed will be required? And how do you calculate this? The answer: by using the k-factor, a measure of the sedimentation distance. This will tell you how long it will take the particles to settle at the bottom of the test tube.

The k-factor represents the pelleting efficiency of a centrifugation system at maximum rotational speed. You can download our Centrifuge Family Overview to find out the maximum speed of your Eppendorf centrifuge.
The k-factor is a measure of the sedimentation distance in a test tube; it depends on the difference between the longest and the shortest distance between the sample and rotor axis. The shorter the sedimentation distance, the shorter the centrifugation time. In addition, the angle of the tubes within the rotor influences the sedimentation distance.

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Adapting Centrifuge Time and Speed