Lab Equipment Vocabulary Review

This flashcard set covers essential laboratory equipment, safety tools, and analytical instruments used in scientific research and general chemistry or biology lab settings.

Beaker

A wide container useful for mixing and heating large volumes of liquids.

Pipette

A glass tool that measures and delivers small liquid volumes with precision.

Wire gauze

A flat pad with wire mesh used to support glassware during heating.

Thermometer

A tool with a digital display used to measure the temperature of substances.

Graduated cylinder

A tall container with a narrow shape that provides accurate liquid measurements.

Lab coat

A white coat worn to protect clothing during experiments.

Safety goggles

Transparent glasses that shield eyes from chemical splashes.

Burette

A long glass tube with a valve used to release liquid slowly during titration.

Tripod

A T-shaped frame used to hold containers over a heat source.

Centrifuge

A mechanical device that spins samples to separate particles.

Micropipette

A device used to measure small volumes of liquids with high accuracy.

Erlenmeyer flask

A container with a narrow neck used to heat or store liquids with minimal evaporation.

Mortar and pestle

Tools used to manually grind solid substances into powder.

Test tube

A narrow cylindrical container used to observe small reactions or to be heated over a flame.

Test tube rack

An equipment used to hold test tubes in place during reactions or heating.

Spatula

A metal tool used to transfer solids or scrape materials.

Microtiter plate

A flat-bottomed plate with multiple small wells useful for micro-reactions.

Glass slide

A glass plate used to view specimens under a microscope.

Bunsen burner

A device powered by gas that produces a flame used to heat substances.

Tongs

A tool used to handle hot glassware.

Forceps

Tools used to hold or pick up small items during dissection or sorting samples.

Clamps

Devices used to hold glassware securely in place during experiments.

Tweezers

Used for the delicate manipulation of very small or thin materials.

Watch glass

A piece of glass with a wide surface area used to cool hot substances quickly.

Stirring rod

A thin rod used to mix chemicals in a beaker or flask.

Dropper

A plastic tube with a bulb used to transfer small amounts of liquid.

Filter paper

Used to remove solid particles from a liquid.

Funnel

A cone-shaped tool with a narrow stem that helps transfer liquids into containers with small openings.

Litmus paper

Used to measure the pH of a solution quickly and visually.

Electronic balance

An electric device for general laboratory use with an accuracy of $\pm 0.01\,g$ and a capacity of $100\,g$ to $5,000\,g$.

Analytical balance

A highly sensitive instrument used for high-precision measurements with an accuracy of $\pm 0.0001\,g$, typically featuring a draft shield.

Evaporating dish

A container designed to evaporate solvent from a solution.

Crucible

A small porcelain container used to heat substances to high temperatures.

Retort stand

A stand that holds lab glassware securely during experiments.

Stopper

Used to cover containers to prevent contamination.

Petri dish

A flat dish used for growing microorganisms.

Vortex mixer

A small device used to mix liquid samples by vortex motion.

Incubator

A sealed container that controls temperature and humidity.

Autoclave

A device used to sterilize equipment using steam.

Fume hood

A closed unit that filters toxic vapors during experiments.

Microscope

An equipment that magnifies small specimens.

Volumetric pipette

A glass device with a central bulb calibrated to deliver one fixed, highly accurate volume of liquid.

Volumetric flask

A flask containing a single calibration mark used to measure exact liquid volumes.

Vacuum oven

Used to dry samples by heating under reduced pressure.

Desiccator

A sealed chamber containing a drying agent to keep samples moisture-free.

Weighing boat

A lightweight, disposable item used to hold samples during weighing.

Spherical flask

A glass container with a round bottom designed for uniform heating in distillation or reflux setups.

Media bottle

A thick-walled container with a screw cap suitable for storing and autoclaving culture media or buffer solutions.

Vacuum filtration apparatus

A system including a Büchner funnel and side-arm flask used to speed up filtration by reducing internal pressure.

Water distillation apparatus

A system used to obtain high-purity water consisting of a boiling chamber, condenser, and receiving flask.

Ultrasonic bath

A cleaning device that uses high-frequency sound waves in liquid to dislodge contaminants from delicate glassware.

Cover slip

A small piece of thin glass placed over a specimen on a microscope slide to protect and flatten it.

Chemical cabinet

A labeled, corrosion-resistant storage unit for hazardous reagents and flammable substances.

Safety shower

A laboratory fixture that delivers a large volume of water for immediate decontamination from chemical spills.

Hot plate

A device used to provide controlled heat to beakers or flasks on a flat surface without an open flame.

Water bath

A heated, water-filled vessel used to maintain a stable temperature for samples without direct flame exposure.

Handheld vacuum pump

A manual device used to remove air and create vacuum pressure for filtration applications.

Face shield

A transparent barrier that protects the entire face from splashes, flying particles, or infectious materials.

Homogenizer

A device that applies mechanical shear force to create a uniform mixture by breaking down particles or cells.

Sand bath

A container of heated sand used for uniform heating at temperatures above $100\,^\circ\text{C}$ without direct flame contact.

Spectrophotometer

An instrument that measures how much a sample absorbs light at specific wavelengths.

Cuvettes

Small, transparent glass or quartz containers used in a spectrophotometer's light path.

Magnetic stirrer

A device that creates a rotating magnetic field to turn a small bar and mix solutions evenly.

Separatory funnel

A pear-shaped glass container with a stopcock used to separate two immiscible liquids based on density.

Inoculating loop

A small wire tool with a loop used to transfer microorganisms and streak agar plates in microbiology.

Ampoules

Thin glass containers sealed by flame to store sterile liquid, opened by snapping the narrow neck.

Respirator mask

A specialized face covering that filters inhaled air in environments with hazardous fumes or biological agents.

Bottle-top dispenser

A device that screws onto a reagent bottle to accurately dispense specific liquid volumes.

Laminar flow hood

An enclosed workspace providing filtered, unidirectional airflow to maintain a sterile environment for samples.

Safety cabinet (class III)

An enclosed workspace that filters both entering and exiting air to protect the user, sample, and environment from hazardous biological materials.

Lab grinder

An electric or manual device used to finely pulverize solid samples into powder.

Protective gloves

Hand coverings made of materials like latex or nitrile that protect skin from contamination, burns, and injury.

Vial

A small cylindrical container with a cap or stopper used to store liquid samples or reagents.

Rubber bulb

A squeezable device attached to a pipette or dropper to create suction for liquid intake.

Wash bottle

A plastic squeeze bottle with a narrow spout used for rinsing glassware with distilled water.

Stopcock

A small valve at the bottom of a burette that controls the precise release of liquid.

Scalpel

A small, extremely sharp knife or blade assembly used for precise cutting and dissection.

Cryogenic storage container

Specialized containers used to preserve biological samples at extremely low temperatures, typically using liquid nitrogen.