Science Equipment and Apparatus

Graduated Cylinder

Plastic bumper to prevent cylinder from breaking if it is tipped over.

A graduated container used to accurately measure the volume of liquids.

Hot Plate

A device used as a heat source.

Erlenmeyer Flask

A container used for the storing, mixing, and heating of chemicals. Its narrow neck makes it convenient for swirling liquids by hand and its shape makes the flask very stable.

Beaker

A container used to hold, mix, heat, and pour liquid or powdered chemicals.

Electronic Balance

A device used to measure the mass of an object.

Thermometer

A device that measures the temperature of a substance.

Ring Stand

A structure that is used to hold or clamp laboratory glassware and other equipment in place, so that it does not fall down or come apart.

Iron Support Ring

Used in chemistry labs to stabilize flasks mounted to a ring stand and support them over the work area.

Wire Gauze

It is used to support a container (such as a beaker or flask) during heating. Glassware should not be heated with a direct flame. Wire gauze, when placed between glassware and a heat source, diffuses the heat making it safer than a direct flame.

Hot Plate Stirrer

A device that has two functions: 1) is a source of heat,2) is used to stir liquids.

Funnel

Used to transfer liquids from one contain to another without spilling, or when used with filter paper, to separate solids from liquids.

Triple-Beam Balance

Used for measuring the mass of an object.

Utility Clamp

A spring-loaded open-jaw clamp that can be tightened down to hold something securely in place.

Test Tube

Used to hold, mix, or heat small quantities of solid or liquid chemicals.

Test Tube Holder

A tool used to hold hot test tubes.

Laboratory Burner

A device that burns a flammable gas and is used as a heat source.

Flint Striker

A tool used to light laboratory burners by creating sparks.

Test Tube Rack

A structure used to hold test tubes.

Beaker Tong

A tool used to hold hot beakers.

Spatulas and Scoopula

A small implement used to mix, spread, and lift chemical substances.

Forceps

Used to manipulate small objects.

Wash Bottle

Usually filled with distilled water and is used for diluting solutions, washing precipitates, and rinsing glassware.

Triangular File

Used to score (scratch) glass tubing so that the tubing can be easily snapped into two pieces.

Rubber Stoppers

Glass tubing can be inserted into the holes.

Beral Pipette

Also known as a micropipette.

Evaporating Dish

Usually made of porcelain, it is commonly used to gradually evaporate solvents in a sample. It may be placed directly on a hot plate or over a flame.

Watch Glass

The watch glass is used to evaporate a liquid, to hold solids while being weighed, or as a cover for a beaker. It is not advisable to subject the glass to a direct heat source, like a hot plate or flame.

Mortar (bowl) & Pestle (grinding rod)

The pestle is used to grind large pieces of material into smaller pieces.

Graduated Pipette

Pipets are usually about 10 cm long and are used to precisely measure small amounts of liquid.

Crucible Tongs

Crucible tongs are used to manipulate crucibles and other hot materials.

Metric Ruler

The metric ruler has graduations marked out in millimeters and centimeters.

Buret

The stopcock allows liquids to be dispensed.

A long graduated tube used to dispense precise and small amounts of liquid. Most often they are used to determine the concentration of a substance using a process called titration.

Hose Clamp

Also known as a pinch clamp and is used to close off a hose.

Florence Flask

This type of flask is used to heat substances that need to be heated evenly. The round shape allows the heat to distribute through the liquid more uniformly.

Glass Stirrer

This is called a rubber policeman. Its function is to prevent the glass stirring rod from “clinking” on glass containers, which can result in cracks.

Microplate

Microplates are used to mix small amounts of chemicals. The plates are made of clear plastic to make it easier to observe reactions. Each of the 24 “pockets” shown are called wells.

Triangle

The triangle is placed on an iron ring and its function is to hold a crucible.

Buret Clamp

The clamp is used to hold burets securely. This clamp can hold two burets, one on each side.

Crucible with Lid

Made out of porcelain material, it is used to heat chemical compounds to very high temperature.

Wing top

This piece fits on top of a laboratory burner and its function is to spread the flame over a wider area.

For the first quiz on equipment, you do not need to know the

names of the equipment which follows this slide.

Separating Funnel

A device used to separate two liquids that form layers because they are immiscible (do not dissolve in one another).

Volumetric Flask

The function of this flask is to accurately measure out a large quantity of liquid.

Side-arm Flask

Also known as a filter flask, it is used to quickly filter precipitates from a liquid. The flask is used in combination with a Buchner funnel and operates by vacuum (or suction).

Buchner Funnel

Used for the vacuum filtration of precipitates from a liquid. It is used in combination with a filter flask and rubber Buchner adapter (seal).

Rubber Buchner adapter

Volumetric Pipette

Used with a rubber bulb, it allows for extremely accurate measurement of a liquid volume.

Pipette Pump or Filler

A device that allows the user one-handed control of the uptake and dispensing of liquids through an inserted pipette. The pipette inserts into the base of the pump.

Pipette inserts here.

Distillation CondenserCold water out

Cold water in

Its purpose is to cool hot vapors, condensing them into liquid for separate collection.

Hot vapors enter here

Cool condensate exits here

Vacuum Filtration

This apparatus uses a vacuum (suction) to quickly filter and dry precipitates.

Precipitates are solids that settle out of a solution.

Hot Bath Apparatus

An apparatus that is used to heat substances in test tubes to temperatures at or below the boiling point of water.

Fast Evaporation Apparatus

An apparatus for quickly evaporating solvents.

Filtering Apparatus

An apparatus for the gravitational filtration of precipitates and solids from liquids.

Slow Evaporation Apparatus

An apparatus for the evaporation of solvents with temperatures at or below the boiling point of water.

Separating Funnel Apparatus

An apparatus used to separate two liquids that do not dissolve (are immiscible) in one another, and thus forms layers.

Distillation Apparatus

An apparatus used to separate a liquid from a liquid mixture by heating it to its boiling point and then condensing the resulting vapors into a container.