Familiarization

with
Apparatus/Equipment
in the
Chemistry Laboratory
 Apparatus/Equipment are used in
many different ways:
 As containers
 For measuring mass
 For measuring volume
 For support
 As guide for flow
 As source of heat
 For picking-up Objects
 In Other Ways
No lab would be Used as Containers
complete without a
Beaker. It’s a Description:
Multipurpose and  The flat bottom and spout allow this
essential in the lab. piece of glassware to be stable on the
lab bench or hot plate, plus it's easy to
pour a liquid without making a mess.
Beakers are also easy to clean.
 Most beakers are made from
borosilicate glass
Function/Use:
 reaction container
 holds liquid or solid samples
 to catch liquids from titrations and
filtrates from filtering operations
 for mixing
 to heat liquids
Test Tube Used as
Description:
 round-bottom cylinders Containers
 usually made of borosilicate glass
so that they can withstand
temperature changes and resist
reaction with chemicals.
 several sizes
 sometimes called culture tubes (a
test tube without a lip).

Function/Use:
 for holding small samples or
mixtures (liquid, solid and gas)
 for containing small-scale reactions.
Used as Erlenmeyer Flask is
one of the most common and useful pieces
Containers of chemistry lab glassware.

Description:
 flat-bottomed, cone-shaped flask (stable
on table)
 usually made of borosilicate glass (can
be heated over a flame or autoclaved)
 most common sizes: 250 mL & 500 mL

Function/Use:
 to measure large volume
 mix and store chemicals
 used to heat liquids (wide bottom allows
faster heating because of the greater
surface area exposed to the heat)
 also used to catch filtrates.
Used as Containers Florence Flask
(also called boiling flask)

Description:
 round-bottom
 borosilicate glass container
with thick walls, capable of
withstanding temperature
changes.

Function/Use:
 used for heating subtances
that need to be heated evenly
 bulbed-bottom allows the
heat to distribute through the
liquid more evenly
 mostly used in distillation
experiments.
Used as Containers
Description:
 long, thin neck with a line for
measuring a specified volume
 usually have flat bottoms
 usually made of borosilicate glass
 typical sizes: 25, 50, 100, 250,
500, 1000 mL

Function/Use:
 to measure one specific volume of
liquid
 to make precise dilutions
 mostly used in mixing solutions Volumetric
where a one liter or one half a liter Flasks
is needed
Used as ContainersPetri dishes come as a set.
Description:
 flat bottom dish and a flat lid
that rests loosely over the
bottom
 made from a borosilicate glass,
such as Pyrex or Kimax
 plastic petri dishes also are
available

Function/Use:
 commonly are used for culturing
bacteria in a microbiology lab,
containing small living
specimens, and holding chemical
samples.
 Used as Containers Reagent Bottles
Description:
 Glass bottles with ground glass
stoppers
 some are made of plastic

Function/Use:
 to store stock solutions of
chemicals
 for mixing
 for displaying.
 Description:
Used as  concave dishes that have a
variety of uses
Containers  cannot resist high temperature.
It should never be heated.

Function/Use:
 for holding small samples for
observation under a low-power
microscope
 As lids flasks, beakers or
evaporating dishes.
 for evaporating liquid off of
samples, such as growing seed
crystals
 hold solids when being

Watch Glass weighed or transported

Used as Containers
Description:
 round bottom flask
 the end of the neck of
the flask is typically a
conical ground glass
joint.

Function/Use:
 often used when even
heating or boiling of a
sample is needed.
Erlenmeyer Bulb
Used as Containers
Description:
 cup-shaped piece of
laboratory glassware
 they come with lids

Function/Use:
 used to hold small
amount of solid
substance which are to be
Crucible heated to high
(with cover) temperatures
Used as Containers
Description:
 wide porcelain dish
 highly resistant to
high temperatures

Function/Use:
 used to hold small
amount of substance
that needs heating in
order to evaporate
liquids.

Evaporating Dish
Used as Containers
Description:
 Made of plastic (can be
squeezed)
 has narrow tube from bottom
(inside) that extends out of
the bottle (pointed tip) to
dispense as squeezed

Function/Use:
 for dispensing small
quantities of distilled water.
 to rinse off chemical
substances from containers
especially in qualitative
analysis
Wash Bottles
Used for Measuring Mass
Description:
 Has a metal pan on
the left
 With three sliders on
the three beams

Function/Use:
 to measure masses
very precisely (the
reading error is 0.05
gram

Triple Beam Balance

Used for Measuring Mass
Analytical Balance Description:
 an electronic scale
 has a weighing pan inside a
glass case
 has adjustable feet, level
indicator , on/off switch, LCD
Display , zero switch, mode
switch and tare switch

Function/Use:
 measures mass of an object to
an accuracy of ± 0.0001
grams
(0.1 mg precision)
Used for Measuring Volume
Graduated Cylinder
Description:
 usually are made from
borosilicate glass
 Common sizes are 10, 25, 50,
100, 250, 500, 1000 mL

Function/Use:
 used to measure volumes
accurately to the nearest 0.1 mL
 can be used to calculate the
density of an object if its mass
is known
Used for Measuring Volume

Beaker
measures large
volumes up to an
accuracy within 10%
Used for Measuring Volume

Erlenmeyer
Flask

measures large
volumes up to an
accuracy within 10%
Used for Measuring Volume
Volumetric Flask

measures one
specific volume
with high
precision
 Used for Measuring Volume
Description: Buret (or Burette)
a graduated tube
of glassware that
has a stopcock at
its bottom end

Function/Use:
 used to dispense precise volumes of
liquid reagents.
 used in titrations to measure precisely
how much liquid is used.
 used for addition of a precise volume of
liquid to the nearest 0.01 mL
 used for chemical calculations based on
Used for Measuring Volume
Used for Measuring Volume
Description:
Pipets  are droppers calibrated to

(Pipettes) deliver a specific volume

 There are many different
types of pipets: disposable,
reusable, autoclavable, and
manual.
 may be made of glass or
plastic.
 This type of pipet is marked
like graduated cylinders.

Function/Use:
 to measure and transfer
small volumes.
Used for Measuring Volume

Pipets
(Pipettes)
Used for Measuring Volume
Description:
 has a line to mark a
specific volume
 precise apparatus

Function/Use:
 this type of pipet is
filled to a line to
reliably deliver one
volume again and
again.
Volumetric  to measure and transfer
a specific volume.
Pipets
Used as Support Test tube Rack
Description:
 Made of wood or plastic
 have slots for test tubes
to stand upright or
inverted
Function/Use:
 to hold test tubes while
reactions happen in them
or while they are not
needed.
Used as Support Wire Gauze
Description:
 wire mesh with a fire-
proof sheet (circle) in the
middle to spread flame
 Stiff-meshed wire woven
together

Function/Use:
 used on a ring to support
beakers to be heated by
Bunsen burners
 used to spread heat of a
burner flame
Used as Support Clay Triangle
Description:
 a wire frame with a
triangular shape
 with hollow porcelain
cylinders on the 3 sides

Function/Use:
 are placed on a ring
attached to a ring stand
as a support for a funnel,
crucible, or evaporating
dish.
Used as Support Description:
 A three-legged
Tripod apparatus with a
circular top frame
 made of metal

Function/Use:
 used as a support
for the vessel to be
heated
Used as Support Description:
 made of iron or steel
 An iron stand is a long metal
rod with a flat rectangular
base.
 an iron ring is a metal ring
attached to a stand by a screw.
Function/Use:
 iron stand supports the iron
ring when heating substances
or mixtures in a flask or beaker
(using a Bunsen burner)
 clamps can also be used to
hold glasswares on the iron
ring
Iron Stand with Iron Ring
 Iron Stand
Used as Support

Description:
 made of iron or steel
 a long metal rod with a flat
rectangular base.

Function/Use:
 Ring stand with clamps
(such as buret clamps) are
for holding pieces of
glassware in place.
 Buret Clamps
Used as Support
Description:
 made metal or hard
plastic
 symmetrical fastening
device

Function/Use:
 a device for holding or
supporting glasswares
(such as burets) or
fastening them together.
 Used as Support Extension
Description: Clamps
 made metal
 fastening device with one
end holds and the other is
attached to the iron ring by
a screw

Function/Use:
 a device for holding or
supporting glasswares (such
as flasks)
Used as Guide for Flow
Funnel
Description:
 a conical piece of glassware that
terminates in a narrow tube
 made of any material (such as
plastic or glass)

Function/Use:
 for directing liquid flow from one
container to another
 to transfer substances into
containers that have narrow mouths
 for filtering when equipped with
filter paper.
 used to transfer solids and liquids
without spilling
Used as Guide for Flow
Funnel
 Used as
Guide for
Flow

Funnel
Used as Guide for Flow
Thistle Tube
Description:
 a piece of chemistry glassware
consisting of a long tube with a
reservoir and funnel-like opening at
one end.

Function/Use:
 may be used to add liquid through a
stopper to an existing apparatus
(small hole).
Used as Guide for Flow
Description:
 rubber hose

Function/Use:
 used to connect
apparatus to allow
flow of liquid solid or
gas such as in a
Bunsen burner

Rubber
Tube
Used as Guide for Flow Glass
Tubes

Description:
Function/Use:

 to

Description:
 hollow glass tube (bent or straight)

Function/Use:
 used to connect apparatus to allow flow of
liquid, solid or gas
 Used as Guide for Flow

Glass Tubes
Used as Source of Heat
Bunsen Burner

Description:
 a device that produces flame from a
nozzle of a vertical metal barrel.
 has a needle valve connected to a
rubber hose for gas flow into the
barrel where it mixes with air that
comes through the rotating air inlet.
 has a flat circular metal base

Function/Use:
 used for heating (exposing objects to
flame), sterilization, and combustion
Used as Source of Heat
Hot Plate Description:
 an adjustable
heating source
 essentially an
electric stove top

Function/Use:
 for heating
substances in flat-
bottomed containers
such as beakers and
Erlenmeyer flasks
Used as Source of Heat
Hot Plate
Used for Picking-up Objects
Description:
 handheld, hinged
instrument
 Similar to tweezers
 Made of metal

Function/Use:
 holds or pick up small
objects
Forceps
 Used for Picking-up Objects
Crucible Tongs
Description:
 have 2 long arms terminating in
a pivot point then extends to the
handle.
 made of metal
 scissor-shaped

Function/Use:
 similar in function to forceps
(to hold many different things)
but are useful for larger items
such as flasks, crucibles, and
evaporating dishes especially
when they are hot.
 Used for Picking-up Objects
Test Tube Holder
Description:
 made of wire shaped in
way that it can grip

Function/Use:
 for holding test tubes
when tubes are hot or
should not be touched
Used in Other Ways
Description:
Test Tube Brush  a couple of wires spun
together with bristles on
one end in the shape of
a test tube
 a device, made with
nylon bristles attached
to a twisted-wire shaft

Function/Use:
 to easily clean the inside
of a test tube
Used in Other Ways
Stoppers
(Corks)

Description:
 most are made of rubber
 many different sizes
 some have holes while some don’t

Function/Use:
 to seal containers
 stoppers with holes are used with
thermometers and/or other probes or tubes
(glass or rubber)
Used in Other Ways
Thermometers in
Stoppers
Used in Other Ways
Thermometer
Description:
 a graduated glass tube with
alcohol (or mercury) inside
the tube that rises or lowers
depending on how hot or
cold its surrounding is

Function/Use:
 used to measure temperature
of solids, liquids, and gases
 they are usually in oC
(Celsius), but can also be in
oF (Fahrenheit)
Used in Other Ways
Description:
Separatory Funnel made of glass

 usually a ring stand is used to support them
 open at the top to allow addition of liquid
 has sloping sides to help make it easier to
distinguish layers in a liquid mixture
 the flow of liquid is controlled using a glass
or teflon stopcock in the bottom end
 usual sizes are 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mL
 Also called separation funnel

Function/Use:
 used to dispense liquids into other
containers, usually as part of an extraction
process (specifically liquid-liquid extractions
where one liquid is not miscible in the other)
 used when you need a controlled flow rate,
but not the measuring accuracy of a burette
or pipette
Used in Other Ways
Separatory Funnel
Used in Other Ways Magnetic Stirrer
Used in Other Ways Stirring Rod
(Glass Rod)

Description:
 usually made of glass
 long cylindrical glass

Function/Use:
 used to stir substances
Used in Other Ways

Stirring Rod
(Glass Rod)
Used in Other Ways
Stirring Rod (Glass Rod) with a rubber
policeman
Used in Other Ways
Description:

Droppers  to

Function/Use:
 used to dispense small
quantities of liquids.
 Droppers are for
addition of liquids drop
by drop
Used in Other Ways
Pipettors

Description:
 hand-held device that has a slot for
pipets to be inserted
 has plunger (to suck liquid in) and an
ejector (to release the liquid)

Function/Use:
 functions like the bulb or pump on a
conventional glass pipet
 the pipettor with the pipet will suck
liquid (specified volume) from one
container and transfer it to another
container
Used in Other Ways
Scoopula

Description:
 spatula-like scoop utensil
 made of metal

Function/Use:
 primarily used to transfer solids to weigh paper, watch glass or other containers
Used in Other Ways Condenser
Description:
 consists of a tube (inner)
within a tube (outer)
 this particular condenser is
called a Vigreux column.

Function/Use:
 a piece of laboratory
glassware used to cool hot
liquids or vapors
 used in distillation
Used in Other Ways
Description:
Mortar & Pestle  the pestle is a heavy club-shaped
object, the end of which is used for
crushing and grinding
 the mortar is a bowl, usually made
of ceramic or stone
 the substance to be ground is
placed in the mortar and ground,
crushed or mixed with the pestle

Function/Use:
 used to crush solid substances into
powders for experiments, to better
dissolve the solids.
 used to mix substances by grinding
them together