Movement of electrically charged particles in a fluid under the influence of an electric field .
The particles migrate toward the electrode of the opposite electric charge , often on a gel-coated slab or plate, sometimes in a fluid flowing down a paper. Originated about 1930 by Arne Tiselius (1902–1971) as a technique for analysis , electrophoresis is used to analyze and separate colloids (e.g., proteins ) or deposit coatings.