This technique, sometimes known as gel filtration, also separates proteins according to their size. A protein solution is poured into a column which is packed with porous beads made of a cross-linked polymeric material (such as dextran or agarose). Molecules larger than the pores in the beads are excluded, and move quickly through the column, whereas the movement of molecules which enter the pores is retarded. Thus molecules are eluted off the column in order of decreasing size. Beads of different average pore size are available for separating proteins of different molecular weights. Manufacturers of these beads provide information about the molecular weight range that they are most suitable for separating. Molecular weights of unknown proteins can be determined by comparing their elution volumes Vo, with those determined using proteins of known molecular weight: a plot of elution volume versus log(molecular weight) should give a straight line. One problem with this method is that the molecular weight is not directly related to the Stokes radius for different shaped proteins.