Chemistry Lab Equipment and Techniques PDF

DATBooster Chemistry Ch 1. Laboratory Chapter 1: Laboratory Equipment and Techniques Test Tubes ​ Glass tubes with one open end and a round, closed end. ​ Used to hold small volumes and for mixing samples. ​ Not suitable for measuring volumes. Graduated Cylinders ​ Tall, narrow c...

DATBooster Chemistry Ch 1. Laboratory Chapter 1: Laboratory Equipment and Techniques Test Tubes ​ Glass tubes with one open end and a round, closed end. ​ Used to hold small volumes and for mixing samples. ​ Not suitable for measuring volumes. Graduated Cylinders ​ Tall, narrow cylinder with graduated markings for measuring liquid volume. ​ Preferred over beakers for accuracy but not as accurate as pipettes or burettes. Common Equipment Beakers ​ Wide-mouthed glass vessels for heating, mixing, stirring solutions. ​ Not accurate for measuring volumes. Erlenmeyer Flasks ​ Conical shape with a narrow neck, safer for mixing and swirling. ​ Uses: mixing, heating, titrations; not for accurate volume measurement. Boiling Flasks ​ Round bottom and long neck, used for swirling and heating liquids. ​ Require clamps; not designed for volume measurement. Volumetric Flasks ​ Round base with an elongated neck for precise volume measurements. ​ Used for preparing/diluting solutions; ​ Equipped with a cap to prevent evaporation. Droppers ​ Small tubes with a rubber bulb for delivering liquids dropwise. ​ Also known as Pasteur pipettes. Burettes ​ Long graduated tubes for dispensing precise liquid volumes. ​ Control liquid release through a stopcock; commonly used in titrations. ​ Initial and final volume readings determine dispensed volume. Other Equipment Bunsen Burners ​ Produce open flames connected to a gas source, adjustable gas flow and airflow. pH Meters ​ Measure solution pH; must be calibrated before use. Digital Balances ​ Accurately measure mass; utilize the tare function for accurate measurement. Pipettes ​ Most precise option for measuring liquid volumes (graduated, volumetric, electronic). Reading Volumes ​ Meniscus: read the lowest point in the curve for accurate volume measurement. Titration ​ Add known concentration titrant to unknown concentration solution. ​ Equivalence point: where reaction is fully complete; endpoint is when observable change occurs. Safety Protocols 1.​ Safety Shower: Used for emergencies, delivers water for exposure to toxic chemicals. 2.​ Eye Wash Station: Rinse eyes if chemicals splash. 3.​ Fume Hood: Provides ventilation to minimize exposure to fumes. 4.​ Fire Extinguishers: Used for solvent/electrical fires, aim at the base. 5.​ Personal Protective Equipment: Includes lab coats, goggles, gloves, and closed-toed shoes. Significant Digits ​ Rules for significant digits: non-zero numbers, zeros between non-zeros and trailing zeros after a decimal are significant. Data & Error Analysis ​ Accuracy: closeness to the true value; Precision: consistency of measurements. ​ Types of Errors: ○​ Systematic Error: Consistent error in one direction, often due to faulty equipment. ○​ Random Error: Varies each time, often due to human error in measurement. ​ Percent Error Formula: % Error = |experimental - actual| / actual * 100%.