37.2.3—Retention times

Retention time is longer when a compound spends more time dissolved in or adsorbed by the stationary phase rather than travelling with the carrier gas.

Volatility and intermolecular interactions both matter. Compare retention times only under the same column, temperature program and carrier-gas conditions.

Two compounds with similar injection amounts can have different retention times because one has stronger attraction to the non-polar stationary liquid.

Retention time is not a universal identity constant: changing the column or temperature can shift it.