Effect of Isomerization on Migratory Analysis: There is a simple explanation when three peaks appear in the analysis...

This graphical reasoning thus shows that from the very beginning of electrophoresis of an isomerizing system a third peak forms between the two peaks of unreacted isomers. This peak is, however, very small at this stage and is therefore normally obscured by diffusion. With time it develops and finally becomes predominant. Whether the three peaks are resolved depends on how rapid diffusion is compared to electrophoretic migration. If diffusion permits good resolution of the two initial peaks, the third one becomes visible between them and gradually absorbs them. If diffusion is too rapid to permit resolution, the shape of the single visible peak changes from a regular gaussian form due to ordinary diffusion alone through a complicated distortion to another regular gaussian due to combined electrodiffusion and diffusion (2; 8).