APPARATUS USED IN INORGANIC LABORATORY

AIM: To have a general idea about practical apparatus

used in inorganic chemistry.

THEORY:
 General glassware is used in synthetic preparation
and purification for inorganic compounds as well
as routine work.
 Laboratory glass wares are usually manufactured
using borosilicate glass, which is resistant to action
of chemicals except hydrochloric acid.
 Glass wares which are made up of borosilicate
glass are standard to mechanical weightage and
sudden change of temperature. The main
ingredients of borosilicate glass are silica (80.6%),
boric oxide (12.6%), sodium oxide (4.15%) and
alumina (2.2%).

BEAKER:
It has the capacity from 5ml to 500ml and are
generally in square form to cylindrical form. It is
mainly used for preparation of solutions.
CONICAL FLASK: These are used for titrations and
boiling the solutions. They are present ranging from
100ml to 5000ml. they are called Erlenmayer’s flask
which are present with narrow and wide mouth designs
with or without graduations.
ROUND BOTTOMED FLASK: These can withstand
higher temperatures, maybe heated in a flame or
electrical mantle.

FLAT BOTTOM FLASK: These are mainly used for

heating liquids and can withstand higher temperatures.
VOLUMETRIC FLASK: It is mainly used to make
final volume of reagent. It has flat bottom with pear
shaped, long narrow neck and specific value of mark
fitted with a stopper.

MEASURING CYLINDERS: They are available from

5ml to 2lt capacity. They are used to measure quantity
of the liquid by higher degree of accuracy. It is not
possible because of their wide bore.

REAGENT BOTTLES: These are available from 25ml

to 5000ml capacity. It has cylindrical and narrow neck
fitted with stoppers. It is made up of plain glass or
amber glass.

DROP BOTTLES: They are used for the plain purpose.

Amber coloured bottles are used for maintaining the
resistance stability. They are also used for delivering
the drops of solution.

BURETTE: They are used for measuring the variable

quantities of liquids and capacities ranging from 1ml to
100ml or 1ml to 50ml. They are long graduated tubes
with uniform bore and is used for titrations and
dispensing corrosive reagents.

CONDENSOR: It is used for

reflecting purpose, to cool down hot
gases, to convert them into liquids
which are used for
distillation and other reflect
operations.

FUNNELS: These are used to filter or separate

solutions by using filter paper. Generally used for
separation of solids from liquids or liquids from liquids,
for pouring liquids. The commonly used funnels are
with a diameter of 50, 75 and 100mm. these are of two
types: -
1. Long stem funnel
2. Short stem funnel
SEPARATING FUNNEL: These are mainly used for
extraction purpose for extraction of products from
reaction mixture.

MELTING POINT APPARATUS: It is used to find out

the melting point of a given substance with the help of
thermometer
TEST TUBE: They are directly heated on the flame
with the help of a test tube holder. These are of two
types: -
1. With rim
2. Without rim

PIPETTE: They are used for dispensing controlled

quantities of liquids and are classified as follows: -
1. Transverse pipette or bulbed pipette: - having only
one graduation. This can deliver volume of liquid
ranging from 1 to 50ml.
 2. Graduated pipette: - available from 1 to 10 ml of
capacity and are resistant to attack of chemicals.
They are durable and can be cleaned normally.
These are available in glass (A, B). glass A is
graduated pipette and are accurate, used for
quantitative determination.
3. Micropipette: - it is used for sampling purpose and
has capacities of 100ml.
4. Cell logical pipette: - these come under graduated
pipette.
5. Mohar pipette: - these come under graduated
pipette and make up the tip. It is mainly used for
pipetting out distilled water, reagent and
serological purpose like blood, serum and plasma.

DESSICATOR: These are mainly used to dessicate the

chemicals used for the preparation of accurate normal
solution, the commonly used anhydrous substances like
calcium carbonate, sodium sulphide, magnesium
sulphide, silica gel, dried hydrocholoric acid,
phosphorus pentoxide.

NESSLER’S CYLINDER: These are used for

performing the limit test with mark.

THIELE’S TUBE: These are used for detecting melting

point and boiling point of the sample with the help
liquid paraffin.
CENTRIFUGE TUBE: These are used to separate
liquid by the application of centrifugal force available
in conical flask.

CARE AND MAINTAINENCE OF GLASSWARE:

1. Do not place hot glassware on a damp surface.
2. Cool down the hot glassware slowly to prevent
thermal breakage.
3. Keep all the liquids slowly and always use metal
glass whenever rapid heating is required. Use anti
bumping agents like porcelain pieces, pumice
stones, glass etc.
4. Whenever reaction is going on, never hold a vessel
or apparatus it may crack during the heating when
dry condition occurs.

MIXING AND STIRRING:

1. Always add acid to water at constant stage.
 2. Use ice when alkali sodium hydroxide is added
to water in large quantities so as to prevent the
breakage of glassware.
3. Never mix concentrated sulphuric acid with
water in a closed container because the heat may
break the glassware.

DRYING OF GLASSWARE:
1. After washing, drain the excess water then
glassware can be dried in hot air oven for
30min to 1 hour.
2. Volumetric glassware should not be dried in
hot air oven.

CHEMICALS:
In general, there are two types of chemicals used:
1. Solid
2. Liquid
The chemicals with
AR – analytical grades
GR – graduated grades
Highly purified reagents used for quantitative
purpose:
GPR – general purpose reagent
LR – laboratory reagent
PRECAUTIONS:
1. Always wear apron to protect from chemicals,
flashes and chemical sparks.
2. To prevent fire accidents things like fire
extinguisher, water and sand should be kept in
inorganic labs.
3. The solutions such as concentrated sulphuric acid,
sodium hydroxide, potassium cyanide should never
be pipette out with mouth.
4. Use gloves and goggles whenever there is a risk to
eye. Avoid chemicals to come in contact with skin
and clothes.