Basic Lab

Technique
s

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Which of the following which

precaution for chemical handling
is wrong?
A. Read and reread chemical labels.
B. Keep chemicals away from your
face.
C. Work with harmful volatile
chemicals under a hood.
D. Spills can be left until the end of
the laboratory period and all
cleaned up together.

Which of the following is not true for

proper thermometer use?
A. Don't shake thermometers.
B. Only one thermometer is necessary
for all temperature measurements.
C. Lay thermometers on towel or wire
screen to cool away from the edge
of the bench.
D. Let teaching assistant or instructor
clean up broken thermometers.

Lecture Outline

Laboratory Data
Significant figures
Weighing
Measuring Liquids
Choosing glassware
Reading a meniscus
Pipetting

Mixing/stirring/pouring
Other important techniques

Laboratory Data
Laboratory Data
Facts and statistics, which can be collected
Directly from observation or
Indirectly from background research of others
observations

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Collecting lab data

Data are what the data are
DO NOT MAKE ANYTHING UP
Write DIRECTLY in your lab notebook
All data must be written in INK
All measurements have units USE THEM!
Two types of measurements
Basic = defined units (measured directly)
Derived = calculated (m2).

Significant Figures
What are significant figures?
Numbers in a measurement that represent the
certainty of the measurement, plus one number
representing an estimate

Counting Zeros as Sig. Figures

Leading zeros are never significant figures.

0.00005200005200000
Leading zeros

Buried zeros are always significant figures.

0.00005200005200000
Buried zeros

Trailing zeros are generally significant figures.

0.00005200005200000
Trailing zeros
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Significant Figures Uses

Addition or Subtraction Rule
Answer must contain the same number of
places to the right of the decimal (prd) as the
quantity in the calculation with the fewest
number of places to the right of the decimal.
Examples:
5.325 (3 prd)
+ 5.5
(1 prd)
10.825
10.8

5.325 (3 prd)
5.5
(1 prd)
- 0.175

(1 prd)

- 0.2

(1 prd)
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Significant Figures Uses

Multiplication or Division Rule
Answer must contain the same number of
significant figures (SF) as the quantity in the
calculation with the fewest number of significant
figures used in the calculation.
Examples:
4.325 4.5 = 19.4625
(4 SF)

(2 SF)

4.325 4.5 = 0.961

(4 SF)

(2 SF)

19
(2 SF)
0.96
(2 SF)
10

What is the number of significant

digits in the number 0.02080?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
E. 6

The Metric System of

Measurement
What is the metric system of measurement?
A decimal system in which larger and smaller
units are related by factors of 10

12

What is the meaning in scientific

notation of the prefix ``nano''?
A. 10-3
B. 10-6
C. 10-9
D. 10-12

Basic Lab
Technique
s

http://www.research.gov/common/images/PublicAffairs/13004_ChemistryEquipment--

Basic Lab Techniques

4 different stations for hands on
learning
Weighing
Pipetting
Mixing/stirring/pouring
Other important techniques

Mass and Weight

Mass- The quantity of matter in an object.
Independent of location
Weight- The result of mass acted upon by gravity.
Depends on location
Depends on the force of gravity at the particular
location

100 lbs on earth

=

16

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Weighing in the laboratory

Different kinds of balances with varying
levels of sensitivity

Be sure to note the number of

significant figures for the balance you
are using
17

Our balances are accurate to 1

milligram. What is the read-out
you will see?
A. 0.1
B. 0.11
C. 0.111
D. 0.1111

Weighing in the laboratory

Choose a weigh vessel
As small as possible without
overflowing
Dont want to exceed the mass
of what you are weighing too
much decreases the sensitivity

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Weighing in the laboratory

Cleaning a balance
Dirty balances
can add mass to what you are
weighing
Corrode the machine or its
components
Use brushes to remove solid waste
do not press on the balance!
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Laboratory Glassware
Volumetric vs. General glassware

21

Volumetric Glassware
50% rule
Volume measured should not be less
than 50% of the maximum volume of
the volumetric glassware
Volumetric pipettes and flasks:
measure 1 volume
more sensitive than graduated
pipettes or cylinders.
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Reading a meniscus

23

10% rule for measuring

solutions

The solutions for all experiments are in

the stock hood.
Calculate the amount of a solution you will
need + 10% for extra to clean with and
waste
Put that in a beaker or graduated cylinder
to take back to your bench.
Do NOT pipette in the hood or at the
balances
Pipette at your bench to avoid spills and
contamination and prevent traffic jams
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