Lab Bio 1: Safety, Microscopy, Cells, Anatomy

• Lab Bio 1 is a biology laboratory manual.
• The manual includes information on laboratory safety.

Index Topics

• Before you start.
• The Microscope.
• The Cell.
• Biological Macromolecules.
• Enzymes and Metabolism.
• Physical Properties.
• Plant Tissue.
• Plant Anatomy, including flower morphology and seed structure.
• Animal Tissue.
• Animal Anatomy.
• Cell division and Genetics.

Grade Distribution

• 3 Quizzes (15 G), 2 Reports (10): 30%
• Evaluation (5): Included in the 30% above
• Mid Exam: 30%
• Final Exam: 40%
• Total: 100%

Safety Items in the Laboratory

• Fire extinguisher.
• First-aid kit.

Important Safety Rules

• Keep your working area tidy.
• Read labels carefully before removing substances from a container.
• Do not wash strong acids and alkali down the sink.
• Label all test tubes, flasks, or solutions clearly and properly.
• When heating a test tube, direct its mouth away from yourself and others.
• Always clear up your working place at the end of a session.
• Do not eat or drink in the laboratory.
• Wash your hands with soap and disinfectant before leaving the lab.

Dress Code Safety Rules

• Always tie back hair that is chin-length or longer.
• Secure loose clothing or dangling jewelry.
• Never wear sandals or other open-toed shoes in the lab. Footwear should cover the foot completely.
• Never wear shorts or skirts in the lab.

Personal Protection Safety Rules

• Always wear face shields or safety glasses when working with equipment, hazardous materials, glassware, heat, and/or chemicals.
• Always wear appropriate gloves when handling any toxic or hazardous agent.
• Always wear a lab coat when performing laboratory experiments.
• Keep your hands away from your body, mouth, eyes, and face when using lab equipment and chemicals.

Steps for Washing Glassware

• Rinse glassware with tap water after discarding the contents.
• Add a small amount of detergent and scrub carefully with a brush of appropriate size.
• Rinse detergent with tap water.
• Rinse a couple of times with distilled water until water sheets off instead of making droplets.
• Allow to dry in an inverted position or in a rack.

Safety Tips with Glassware

• Do not use chipped or broken glassware.
• Never carry large bottles by their necks; always support them with a hand underneath.
• Do not force stoppers too firmly into the bottle.
• Use a Bunsen burner to avoid cracking glass of heating.
• Always use tongs or test tube holders when handling hot glassware.
• Dispose of broken glass thoroughly using paper towels and gloves.
• Put broken glass into the proper container.

Commonly Used Equipment

• Bunsen Burner: Used for heating and exposing items to flame.
• Wire Gauze: Used to support glassware over a Bunsen burner and spreads flame out for even heating.
• Tripod: Goes over Bunsen burner, holds wire gauze when heating glassware.
• Forceps: Used for picking up and moving small objects.
• Spatula: Used for moving small amounts of solid from place to place.
• Glass stirring rod: Used to stir liquids.
• Scissors: Used to cut objects and during dissection to cut tougher tissues.
• Blade: Surgical blades are used for cutting skin and tissues during surgical procedures/dissection.
• Scalpel/Scalpel Handles: For use with surgical blades for tissue separation and other procedures that require a sharp surgical blade for puncturing or cutting.
• Test Tube: Used to hold, mix, or heat small amounts of chemicals and liquids.
• Test tube holder: Used to hold test tubes while heating.
• Brushes: Used to clean the inside of test tubes and other glassware.
• Test Tube Rack: Used to hold, store, and safely transport multiple test tubes in a vertical position while performing an experiment.
• Glass Funnel: Used to pour liquids into containers to avoid spillage. Also used with folded filter paper for filtration for filtration.
• Medicinal Dropper: Used to transfer small amounts of liquid from place to place. They are usually made of glass/plastic and are disposable.
• Microscopic slide: Holds specimen for examination under the microscope.
• Coverslips: Cover the specimen placed on the microscope slide. They flatten the specimen for better viewing. Keeps stain or other liquid on the specimen.
• Lens paper: Used for cleaning microscope slides and lenses without scratching the glass.
• Glass Pipette: Used for accurately measuring and delivering small volumes of liquid.
• Pipette filler: Used to safely draw liquids into a glass pipette.
• Volumetric Flask: Used to hold and measure accurate amounts of liquid, for precise dilutions and preparation of standard solutions.
• Beaker: Used to hold, mix and heat liquids
• Erlenmeyer Flask: Used as a container for chemicals, or to heat or boil liquids. Does not allow liquids to spill easily and used in titration.
• Graduated Cylinder: Used to measure the volume of liquids.
• Micropipettes: Used to measure and dispense very precise and small amounts of liquids. Calibrated in microliters (µL).
• Water Bath: Used to incubate samples in water at a constant temperature over a certain time period.
• Dissecting Tray: Holds Organism/specimen in place while dissecting.
• Triple-Beam Balance: Used to measure the mass of a variety of objects.
• Top-Loading Digital Balance: Used for routine laboratory work. Measures down to 0.01g; less precise, but with a higher capacity.
• Analytical Balance: Sensitive lab instrument designed to accurately measure mass and has a draft shield or weighing chamber to prevent air currents from affecting the sample. Measures down to 100 micrograms.