An Introduction to Laboratory Equipment

Objectives Identify common laboratory equipment you will be using this semester State the functions of common laboratory equipment

Review Your personal safety and the safety of your classmates are THE MOST IMPORTANT things in a lab Knowing what to do when an accident happens can keep you safe Always tell your teacher immediately if you have an accident - no matter how big or small

Balance What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Measures the mass of an object in grams How To Use It: Put a weighing tray on the balance and zero/tare Put the sample in the weighing tray and obtain its mass Safety Concerns: Do not play with the balances, they are very delicate and expensive

Beaker What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Holds and measures large volumes of liquid Good for stirring or heating the liquid How To Use It: Fill to the proper volume Always look at the bottom of the liquid’s curve (meniscus) to find the volume Safety Concerns: Glass can break

Bunsen Burner What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Produces a flame to heat stuff up How To Use It: Strike the match away from your body, lower the match, turn on the gas, and adjust the flame Your teacher will be using the Bunsen Burner only for demonstration purposes Safety Concerns: Open flame

Flask What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Holds and measures large volumes of liquid Good for swirling the liquid How To Use It: Fill to the proper volume Always look at the bottom of the liquid’s curve (meniscus) to find the volume Safety Concerns: Glass can break

Graduated Cylinder What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Measures liquid very precisely How To Use It: Fill to the proper volume Always looks at the bottom of the liquid’s curve (meniscus) to find the volume Safety Concerns: Glass can break

Hot Plate What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Produces heat like a stove’s burner How To Use It: Your teacher will set the hot plate up for you Do not adjust the temperature without asking permission Safety Concerns: Never touch the hot plate

Petri Dish What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Holds specimens for viewing You can grow bacteria or mold in it How To Use It: The bottom dish is slightly smaller than the lid Safety Concerns: Plastic can break

Pipette What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Measures very small amounts of liquid very precisely How To Use It: Fill to the proper volume Always look at the bottom of the liquid’s curve (meniscus) to find the volume Safety Concerns: Do not squirt the contents at anyone

Stir Rod What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Stirs liquid Gently stir the liquid in a beaker Safety Concerns: Made of very thin glass, so it is easy to break

Test Tube What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Holds small amounts of liquid and other stuff How To Use It: Measure the liquid with a pipette or graduated cylinder, then pour into a test tube Safety Concerns: Glass can break

Thermometer What It Does: How To Use It: Safety Concerns: Measures the average kinetic energy of the molecules in the sample (tell how hot it is) Measures temperature How To Use It: Read the degrees on the Celsius scale Safety Concerns: Glass can break

Summary Knowing the names of common laboratory equipment makes doing labs much easier Knowing how to use this equipment correctly makes labs much safer

Did You Know? The Muppets ™ characters Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker were named after lab equipment