Lab Equipment

Beaker

holds solids or liquids that will not release gases when reacted or are unlikely to splatter if stirred or heated

Erlenmeyer Flask

holds solids or liquids that may release gases during a reaction or that are likely to splatter if stirred or heated

Florence Flask

Rarely used in first year chemistry, it is used for the mixing of chemicals. Narrow neck prevents splash exposure

Graduated Cylinder

used to measure volumes of liquids

Gas Collecting Bottle

used when large volumes of gases are produced, and must be collected by the displacement of water

Test Tube

no definition, just a picture

Test Tube Holder

useful for holding a test tube which is too hot to handle

Test Tube Brushes

Used to clean teset tubes and graduated cylinders. Forcing a large brush into a small test tube will often break the tube

Test Tube Racks

For holding and organizing test tubes on the lab counter. Plastic racks may melt in contact with very hot test tubes

Rubber Stoppers

Used to close containers to avoid spillage or contamination. Containers should never be heated when there is a stopper in place

Spot Plates

Used when we want to perform many small scale reactions at one time. We will use these many times during the year

Watch Glass

used to hold a small amount of solid, such as the product of a reaction

Glass Stir Rod

Used to manually stir solutions. It can also be used to transfer a single drop of a solution

Medicine Dropper

used to transfer a small volume of liquid (less than one mL)

Litmus Paper

RED litmus paper is used to identify bases

BLUE litmus paper is used to identify acids

Forceps

Forceps (or tweezers) are used to pick up small objects

Funnel

used to aid in the transfer of liquid from one vessel to another

Mohr Pipet

measures and delivers exact volumes of liquids

Wash Bottle

Has a spout that delivers a wash solution to a specific area. Distilled water is the only liquid that should be used in a wash bottle

Weighing Boat

used to weigh solids that will be transferred to another vessel

Spatulas

Used to dispense solid chemicals from their containers. Chemicals should never be transferred with your bare hands

Beaker Tongs

used to move beakers containing hot liquids

Bunsen Burner

used for the heating of nonvolatile liquids and solids

Evaporating Dish

used for the heating of stable solid compounds and elements

Crucible

used for heating certain solids, particularly metals, to very high temperatures

Clay Triangle

used as a support for porcelein crucibles when being heated over a Bunsen burner

Crucible Tongs

for handling hot crucibles; also used to pick up other hot objects. NOT to be used for picking up beakers!

Glass Plates

provide a surface for semi-micro scale experiments, such as drop reactions and testing of acids and bases

Triangular File

used primarily to cut glass rod, a skill that your instructor will share with you when it becomes useful

Ringstands and their Components

a safe and convenient way to perform reactions that require heating using a Bunsen burner

Ringstands and their Components: Iron Rings

connect to a ringstand and provide a stable, elevated platform for the reaction

Ringstands and their Components: Utility Clamps

used to secure test tubes, distillation columns, and burets to the ringstand

Ringstands and their Components: Double Buret Clamps

used to burets - long graduated tubes used in titration

Ringstands and their Components: Wire Gauze

Sits on the iron ring to provide a place to stand a beaker. On older wire gauze, the white material is asbestos!

Pressed Fiber Pad

A 4” x 4” square of ceramic fiber, it provides a surface for hot beakers so that the beaker does not come in contact with a cold countertop and shatter

Strikers

Used to light Bunsen burners. The flints on strikers are expensive. Do not operate the striker repeatedly just to see the sparks!