Do and Don't in the Science Lab

Though learning real science can be fun and exciting, hazards might also be lurking in many lab
situations. Pay close attention to the safety practices that go with your lab activities, such as
handling chemicals and glassware or using machinery. Always wear personal protective equipment
(PPE) when the situation calls for it. Above all, stay safe and healthy as you explore the mysteries
of science.

1. Do Wear Eye Protection

Science labs contain glassware, caustic chemicals, vapours, open flames and other substances that
may harm your eyes. Goggles or safety glasses help protect your eyes in case of accidents or spills.

2. Do Practice Fire Safety

Open flames from Bunsen burners or alcohol lamps are necessary for experiments that involve
heating, boiling and burning chemicals or other specimens. Keep your hands and arms away from
the open flames, wear safety glasses, tuck in loose clothing, and keep long hair tied back.

3. Do Handle Glassware Safely

Eliminate potentially dangerous chemical reactions by thoroughly washing beakers, test tubes,
flasks and other glassware before and after use. This also helps ensure that results are not tainted by
chemical residue from previous experiments. Glassware can break, leaving behind potentially
harmful shards. Report any broken glass immediately and dispose of it properly.

4. Do Keep Notes

Write proper laboratory procedures, observations and instructions in a laboratory notebook, with
permanent binding and large pages. Lab notebooks help keep track of data, maintain records of
experiments and facilitate thinking.

5. Do Wear Gloves

Protect your hands with the proper gloves for each job. Handle hot and cold items with insulated
gloves, wear latex gloves during dissections, and use chemical-resistant gloves when working with
caustic chemicals.

6. Do Wear Closed-Toed Shoes

Protect your feet from spills, hot items and heavy objects by wearing shoes with closed toes.
Sandals and other open-toed footwear leave your feet vulnerable to burns and broken bones.

7. Do Practice Electrical Safety

Some experiments require electrical equipment. Before plugging in anything, make sure the plug
includes a ground prong. Whenever plugging or unplugging equipment, hold the plug by its
insulating cover. Never unplug anything by pulling or tugging the cord. Reduce the risk of shock or
shorts by keeping electrical equipment away from water and other liquids.

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 8. Don't Eat or Drink in the Lab

Eat before entering or after leaving the lab. Food, gum, mints, cough drops and beverages are
messy. They may get equipment dirty, contaminate samples, absorb chemicals or cause accidents.

9. Don't Use Excessive Force

Some experiments require connecting glassware with glass tubes and rubber grommets or plugging
glassware with stoppers. Using excessive force can potentially chip or break the glass.

10. Don't Leave A Mess

Clean up spills immediately. Cover the spill with paper towels and then wipe it up from the outside
in, pushing the mess toward the centre of the table, rather than the floor. Dispose of the paper towels
in a proper container. Clean up all laboratory equipment, materials, supplies and work surfaces
before leaving the lab. Make sure Bunsen burners and other sources of heat or gas are properly
turned off.

Safety Precautions When Using Flames in Science

Students and professional scientists alike work safely with hot, open flame every day because they
follow well-established lab safety rules. First, wear the right clothes and personal protective
equipment (PPE) before you begin your experiments. Learn how to use the Bunsen burner,
glassware and other equipment, and check them for defects. Know the substances you may be
burning, melting or heating up. You can then embark on your scientific adventure with confidence,
knowing the prep work was done right.

1. Personal Safety

Your personal appearance before you even light the flame is a key safety consideration. Anything
that is loose or dangling can potentially come into contact with the flame. Wear clothing that fits
snugly to reduce the chances of the material catching fire. Participants with long hair should secure
it away from the face so it doesn't fall down into the flame. Remove any long jewelry that might
reach the flame. Safety gear is also key. Wear goggles when using the flame, especially if you're
heating a glass container or using chemicals.

2. Equipment Inspection

A Bunsen burner uses gas to create the flame often used in science experiments. Never assume that
the equipment is in working condition. An inspection before each use allows you to check the gas
valve and hoses. Look for any defects that could cause the burner to work improperly, such as
kinking or cracks in the hose that carries the gas to the burner. Check the connection between the
gas valve and the hose to ensure that it doesn't leak.

3. Material Setup

A clear workspace prevents accidental ignition of objects such as books, papers and science
experiment materials. Set up the Bunsen burner on a solid, flat surface to avoid tipping. Keep the
flame away from any combustible materials. Gather all of the necessary materials for the
experiment before lighting the flame so you don't have to leave it unsupervised. Have your lighter

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or striker ready so you can light the flame as soon as you turn on the gas to the Bunsen burner. If
others are in the lab with you, let them know you are lighting a flame.

4. Safe Flame Use

A Bunsen burner allows you to control the flame by adjusting the collar that controls air flow. The
flame needed varies by experiment, so find out that information before you put anything over the lit
burner. Tongs allow you to safely hold items over the flames. Follow the experiment steps exactly,
using the flame only as indicated to avoid injury or explosion. When you are finished with the
flame, shut it off completely, ensuring that the gas valve is completely shut off. Allow the Bunsen
burner and any items held over the flame to cool before touching them.

Adapted from sciencing.com

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 Skill assessed: ORR/AI

Date:
Title: Flame tests

Aim: To observe the characteristic colours produced by certain metallic ions when vaporised in a
flame and then to identify an unknown metallic ion by means of its flame test.

Materials:

1. Bunsen burner
2. Safety glasses
3. Beaker with water
4. Wooden splints
5. Solutions (1.0 mol/L) of the following metal salts
(i) barium chloride
(ii) calcium chloride
(iii) copper(II)chloride
(iv) sodium chloride
(v) potassium chloride
(vi) magnesium chloride
(vii) zinc chloride
(viii) sodium chloride /potassium chloride mixture
(ix)unknown A
(x) unknown B

Procedure:

1. Work in pairs to carry out the test on each solution at the workstations set up.

2. Light the Bunsen burner and open the air vent to obtain a non-luminous flame with two blue
cones.

3. Remove one of the wooden splints that have been soaking in the metal salt solution labeled
on the beaker

4.
Carefully place the end of the wooden splint that was soaked in the metal salt solution at the
top of the inner blue cone. Record the colour and intensity (bright/faint) of the flame in the
data table. The colour given off by the salt is the initial colour observed, not the yellow-
orange colour produced by the burning wood. (To avoid burning the wood, wave the splint
through the flame rather than holding it right in the flame).
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 5. If more observations are needed, dip the clean end of the wooden splint in the solutions for a
few minutes and repeat. Otherwise, discard the wooden splints in beaker of water at the end
of the experiment.

6. Repeat with the other salts. Be sure to record the colours as precisely as possible

Results:
Record your results in a suitable table

Discussion:
Analyse the data obtained using the following questions as guidelines. Questions do not have to be
answered in the order given but you should organise your discussion so that it flows. From one
point to the next.

1. Explain how the colours observed in the flame tests are produced.

2. Why do different chemicals emit different colours of light?

3. List the colours observed in this lab from the highest energy to the lowest energy.

4. List the colours observed in this lab from the highest frequency to the lowest frequency.

5. List the colours observed in this lab from the shortest wavelength to the longest wavelength.

6. What is the relationship between energy, frequency, and wavelength?

7. Based on the results of your experiment, what metal is found in unknown A and unknown
B? Explain.

8. Can a flame test be used to determine the identity of unknowns in a mixture? Why or why
not? (refer to results from the experiment)

9. Account for cases where a distinct flame colour and intensity was not observed.

10. Give relevant sources of errors (at least 2) and limitations.

Conclusion:
A statement related to the aim of your experiment

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