Terminology — The plotted output signal versus time obtained after a GC run is called a what?

Introduction / Context:
Precise terminology matters in analytical chemistry. Students commonly confuse the instrument, the separation medium, and the recorded output. This question clarifies the correct term for the time-dependent detector signal produced by a chromatographic run.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The instrument is the chromatograph.
• The separation technique is chromatography.
• The recorded signal versus time (or volume) is the chromatogram.

Concept / Approach:
A chromatogram displays peaks corresponding to analytes eluting from the column. Retention times and peak areas/heights are extracted from the chromatogram for identification and quantification.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Software exports, reports, and standards consistently label the plotted output as the chromatogram (e.g., “save chromatogram as .cdf/.raw”).

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Chromatograph: the instrument, not the plot.
• Chromatophore: a biological pigment cell, irrelevant to GC.
• Graph/spectrogram: generic or spectroscopy-specific terms, not standard GC nomenclature.

Common Pitfalls:
Mixing up instrument and output terms; always report “chromatogram” for the trace.

Final Answer:
Chromatogram.