Calculating Rf values
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How to calculate Rf values?
What is a Rf value?
Rf value is the distance, that a component of interest has travelled, divided by the distance travelled by the solvent form. This value usually doesn't have a unit, because it is simply a ratio of two distances.
Why do I need to calculate the Rf value?
The Rf value can be used to calculate the molecular weight of the protein of interest. To do this, running your sample on the same gel with molecular weight standards is necessary. After you run the gels, comparing the band of your protein to the known standard can give you a rough estimate, but calculating the Rf for both bands gives you a more precise number.