Capillary response, definition

The term A is related to the flow profile of the mobile phase as it traverses the stationary phase. The size of the stationary phase particles, their dimensional distribution, and the uniformity of the packing are responsible for a preferential path and add mainly to the improper exchange of solute between the two phases. This phenomenon is the result of Eddy diffusion or turbulent diffusion, considered to be non-important in liquid chromatography or absent by definition in capillary columns, and WCOT (wall coated open tubular) in gas phase chromatography (Golay s equation without term A, cf. 2.5). 

---