Laboratory Instruments and Room Setup

Laboratory Room

• A laboratory room is a controlled environment designed for scientific research, experiments, analysis, and measurement.
• It's equipped with specialized instruments, tools, and safety equipment to support accurate and safe experiments.

Laboratory Instruments

• Evaporating dish: Used for evaporating liquids.
• Bacterial loop: Used in microbiology for transferring small amounts of bacterial cultures.
• Bunsen burner: A gas burner used to heat samples and sterilize equipment.
• Wire brush: Used to clean laboratory glassware.
• Crucible and cover: Used for high-temperature experiments, often in chemical reactions.
• 24-well plate: A multi-well plate, offering many small reaction chambers
• Test-tube rack: A multi-compartment stand for holding test tubes.
• Mortar and pestle: Tools used to grind substances.
• Lab burner: Used to heat samples in a controlled environment
• Forceps: Used for handling small objects.
• Wash bottle: Used for rinsing and cleaning laboratory equipment.

Laboratory Glasses

• Pipet: Used for accurately measuring and transferring small volumes of liquids.
• Watch glass: A shallow dish used for covering beakers or other vessels.
• Funnel: Used to pour liquids into containers with narrow openings.
• Dropper: Used for dispensing small drops of liquids.
• Petri dishes: Used for growing bacteria or other microorganisms in culture.
• Graduated cylinder: Used to measure definite volumes of liquid.
• Volumetric flask: Used to prepare solutions.
• Conical flask: A flask with a cone-shaped bottom, used for mixing and heating liquids.

Preventive Measures in the Laboratory

• Listen to instructions carefully before starting any procedure.
• Wear safety goggles to protect eyes.
• Notify teachers about accidents or accidents.
• Wash hands after handling chemicals.
• Keep hands away from face.
• Tie back long hair.
• Roll up loose sleeves.
• Know the location of fire extinguishers and other safety equipment.
• Keep the work area uncluttered. Only necessary materials should be present at the station.
• Wear appropriate eyewear, even if not required to prevent eye damage.
• No eating or drinking in the laboratory.
• Comply with all safety instructions and guidelines.

Safety Signs

• Safety signs are standardized symbols that communicate important safety information to protect lab personnel and visitors.
• Examples of signs include those for eye wash, emergency showers, wash hands before leaving, and warnings about toxic chemicals and radioactive materials.

Microbiology

• Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms.

• Organisms can be unicellular, multicellular or acellular.

• Prokaryotic cells - Simple, single-celled organisms without a membrane-bound nucleus and other organelles.

• Eukaryotic cells - More complex, with a well-defined nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

Bacterial Cell Structures

• Coccus: Spherical
• Coccobacillus: Oval-shaped
• Vibrio: Curved rod-shaped
• Bacillus: Rod-shaped
• Spirillum: Spiral-shaped
• Spirochete: Spiral-shaped with flexible cell walls

Bacterial Aggregation

• Bacteria are classified based on their shapes and how they group together. different shapes lead to different bacteria forms.