CHEM181 (Lab) - Common Laboratory Equipment & Apparatus

Acid burette

a glass container with calibrated markings, used within laboratory settings to precisely measure and dispense liquids, specifically acids.

Adapter

used to link ground glass joints of glassware components together; connect them to a vacuum source or water aspirator, and direct liquids from a condenser to a receiving flask during distillation.

Alcohol lamp

used to generate an exposed flame. It is also called alcohol burner or spirit lamp.

Alkaline/Base burette

a glass container with calibrated markings for both dispensing varying quantities of a chemical solution and simultaneously measuring those quantities. Base burets are utilized specifically with base titrants, primarily in titrations involving acidic analytes.

Aspirator

a rubber accessory used to draw liquids into pipettes.

Beaker

a cylindrical container usually made of borosilicate glass used to hold both solid and liquid substances. It is also used for mixing solutions.

Bunsen burner

a fundamental laboratory apparatus used as a flame source for various heating needs.

Burette clamp

a metal tool attached to an iron ring used to hold and secure a burette. It has two jaws with rubber inserts inside them to provide a secure grip to the burette.

Centrifuge

laboratory equipment that uses centrifugal force to separate mixtures based on density of their components.

Clay flame shield

a heat-resistant instrument used to provide a stable platform to hold other equipment, such as crucibles and beakers, while being heated over a Bunsen burner.

Clay triangle

triangular support placed on top of a clay flame shield to provide a stable platform for materials being heated over a flame.

Condenser

a laboratory apparatus used to facilitate the conversion of heated vapors into liquids through the process of condensation during distillation.

Crucible

a ceramic or metallic container used for heating substances to very high temperatures.

Crucible tong

laboratory tool with elongated handle and angled jaws used to handle hot crucibles and other laboratory glassware.

Desiccator

a sealed glass container used to maintain a low humidity environment for protecting moisture-sensitive substances or for drying samples.

Digital balance

an electronic device used to measure the mass of objects and small quantities of substances down to the milligram level.

Distilling flask

a round-bottom flask made of borosilicate glass, designed for distilling mixtures of liquids with different boiling points.

Dropper

used to transfer small amounts of liquids.

Erlenmeyer flask

a flat-bottomed glassware with a conical body and a narrow cylindrical neck for mixing and swirling liquids without spillage.

Evaporating dish

utilized to evaporate surplus solvent within a solution.

Filter paper

a semi-permeable barrier made from cellulose fibers which allows the passage of liquids to pass through while retaining solids.

Florence flask

glassware with a round body, long neck and flat bottom used in the laboratory for boiling liquids and carrying out chemical reactions.

Fume hood

a ventilated enclosure designed with a fan to continuously draw air into a hood, capture airborne contaminants, and remove them through an exhaust.

Funnel

a glass tube or pipe that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used to guide the flow of liquids or powders in transferring between containers.

Glass/Stirring rod

a slender, solid rod used to mix liquids or solids in a container or to guide the flow of liquids being transferred.

Glass tubing

hollow glass cylinder used as capillary tubes or for handling chemicals or carrying out chemical reactions.

Graduated cylinder

a narrow cylindrical glassware with a flat bottom, an open top, and graduations on the side for measuring volumes of liquids.

Iron ring

a metal ring used to secure or uphold glassware during experiments while attached to the iron stand.

Iron stand

a metal stand used in the laboratory to hold the iron ring as a support.

Litmus paper

a small strip of paper treated with a natural dye called litmus that changes color depending on pH, used to test if a solution is acidic or basic.

Mortar

a bowl-shaped container used for grinding and crushing substances into fine powder or paste.

Pestle

a club-shaped object used for pounding and grinding substances inside the mortar.

Petri dish

a shallow, transparent lidded dish used for the culture of microorganisms.

Pipette

a glassware with a long, slender stem and graduations along the shaft, used to measure and transfer small amounts of liquids.

Reagent bottle

a special container used to store solid and liquid chemicals for safe and organized storage.

Separatory funnel

a pear-shaped glassware with a hemispherical end at the bottom, used in liquid–liquid extractions to separate components of a mixture.

Suction flask

side-arm flasks that look like an Erlenmeyer flask with a short arm on the side.

Syringe

contains a graduated cylindrical barrel, fitted with a cylindrical plunger inside, used to transfer or withdraw liquid samples.

Test tube

slender, cylindrical glass container with a rounded bottom and open top, used for small-scale reactions, mixing solutions, and heating liquids.

Test tube brush

cleaning tool with a cylindrical brush head on one end and a long, thin handle, designed for cleaning the interior of test tubes.

Test tube holder

handheld tool resembling spring-loaded tongs with clips at the end, used to securely grip test tubes during heating.

Test tube rack

laboratory accessory with multiple slots or holes to hold and organize test tubes.

Tripod

a three-legged stand made of lightweight metal used to provide a stable platform for other laboratory apparatus during heating.

Thermometer

a glass apparatus with a long, slender stem and bulb at the bottom containing a colored alcohol solution that expands and contracts with temperature changes.

Utility clamp

a laboratory tool used to hold glassware and other equipment securely to prevent them from tipping.

Volumetric flask

a pear-shaped glassware with a flat bottom and narrow elongated neck, used for preparing standardized solutions.

Water bath

a container filled with water which may be heated to maintain a specific temperature.

Wash bottle

a squeezable plastic bottle with a long thin nozzle, used in the laboratory for rinsing glassware.

Watch glass

a small, shallow circular dish with a concave bottom, used for gentle evaporation, covering beakers, or observing materials.

Wire gauze

a flat mat-like piece of thin interwoven metal wires with a ceramic circular center, used to regulate heat distribution under glassware.