1. An Introduction to Laboratory Equipment

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

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

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