Beaker

Glass or plastic cup-like container used to measure volumes of liquids or to act as a reaction chamber for chemical reactions.

Glass beaker may be used to heat chemicals.

Graduated Cylinder

Glass or plastic cylinder used to measure volumes of liquids (much more precise than a beaker).

Should not be used as a reaction chamber nor can it be heated.

Test Tube

Glass tube used to act as a reaction chamber for chemical reactions.

Test tubes may be used to heat chemicals.

Test Tube Rack

Wood or plastic apparatus designed to hold test tubes in a vertical or up right position.

Scoopula

Metal, porcelain, or plastic chemical spoon like apparatus used to transfer solid chemicals.

Glass Stirring Rod

Glass rod used to stir, assist in pouring liquids, and for removing precipitates (solid products formed during a chemical reaction) from a container.

Syringe

Plastic apparatus used to draw up volumes of liquids.

Erlenmeyer Flask

Glass container used to measure volumes of liquids or to act as a reaction chamber for chemical reactions.

Erlenmeyer Flasks may be heated.

Hot Plate

Used as an electrical heat source.

Hot Mits

Made of plastic or some other insulating material used to transfer hot laboratory glassware and equipment.

Funnel

Glass or plastic cone shaped apparatus commonly used with filter paper in the separation technique of filtering.

Thermometer

Used to determine the temperature of substances.

We will always use a CELCIUS thermometer with ALCOHOL in it.

Balance

Used to measure the mass of substances.

Metric Ruler

Used to measure the length, width, and/or height of materials.

We will always make measurement in metric units.

Microscope

Used to magnify organisms that are unable to be seen with the unaided eye.

Will magnify up to 1000X the actual size

Magnifying Lens

Used to enlarge the viewing size of organisms that are unable to be fully appreciated with the unaided eye.

Scalpel

Used to make incisions into organisms so that the insides can be viewed

Dissecting Scissors

Used to separate tissue of organisms during dissections

Dissecting Pins

Used to hold tissue of organisms apart during dissections.

Dissecting Tray

Location where organism will be placed during a dissection.

Glass Slide

Location where organism will be placed before viewing through a microscope.

Cover slip

Used to cover an organism or object on a glass slide.

Forceps

Used to pull apart tissue or investigate an organism being dissected.

Probe

Used to investigate an organism during a dissection.

Dropper

Used to deliver liquids drop-wise.

Petri Dish

Used to culture bacteria on a medium.

Used to hold a specimen during exploration or investigation.

Test Tube Brush

Used to clean the inside of test tubes.

Test Tube Holder

Spring metal; used to grasp test tubes or glass tubing.

Tongs

Made of iron or nickel; used to pick up and hold small items

MEASURING VOLUME

Volume is measure of the amount of space an object takes up. Measuring the volume of a liquid is a common laboratory skill. There are many pieces of laboratory equipment that can be used to measure volumes of liquids, but the most accurate piece of equipment is the graduated cylinder.

How to use a graduated cylinder:

  1. Make sure the graduated cylinder is clean and dry.
  2. Pour the liquid into the graduated cylinder.
  3. Read the calibrated numbers on the graduated cylinder from the bottom up.
  4. Graduated cylinders made of glass will cause the liquid to form a curved surface, or a meniscus. Read the volume of the liquid from the bottom of the meniscus.

When reading the volume of a liquid in a graduated cylinder, the cylinder should ALWAYS be on a flat surface. You should then lower your eye to the liquid’s surface are in the cylinder. Never hold the graduated cylinder up to your eye. You can never ensure the cylinder is entirely level.

The curved surface of the liquid is called a meniscus. As a standard procedure, always read the level of the liquid at thebottom of the curve.

  1. There must always be two decimal places in your measurement. The last one must always end in a 0 or a 5. You must judge if the volume is exactly on the calibrated line or in between two lines. For instance, in the illustration above the volume of the liquid appears to be exactly on the .3 mL calibrated line. Therefore the volume of the liquid should be record as 70.30 mL.

In the illustration to the right, the volume of the liquid is just above the 0.3 mL calibrated line. Therefore the volume of the liquid should be recorded as 70.35 mL.

Volume of a regularly shaped object (such as a box) is calculated by measuring the length, width, and height and multiplying these measurements together. The volume would be expressed in these combined units such as cm3 or m3. The volume of an irregularly shaped object (such as a marble) would have to be determined in a different way since you can not easily measure the length, width, and height. (This is also covered in Chapter 6: Classification of Matter)