The Ultimate Glassware Equipment List for Your High School Chemistry Lab
A chemistry lab with well-equipped science equipment is an integral part of high school academics and practical application curriculum. Science instruments come in all types, shapes and sizes, but most of them are essentially glassware.
Glassware is commonly used in chemistry labs for the following reasons:
- Low cost
- Durability
- Relatively inert
- Transparent for easy monitoring
- Precision for measurement
- Heat resistance
Let’s now take a look at the glassware equipment list for every high school chemistry lab.
Beaker chemistry experiments are usually conducted when there is a need to hold and measure liquids. They can hold samples and reagents. They have a cylindrical shape with a flat bottom and a spout for pouring.
Volumetric flasks are similar to beakers as they are also used to hold samples. But, they have a conical or spherical shape with a tapering neck. There are different types of flasks such as Erlenmeyer, boiling, filtering and distilling, depending on the purpose of use.
Burettes are long and graduated glass tubes. They have a stopcock and a tap at the lower end. They are used to measure the volume of dispensed amounts of liquid.
Pipettes are used to transfer a specific amount of liquid from one location to another. They come in different sizes and designs.
Funnels look like a wine glass with a cylindrical bottom and a conical mouth. It is used to pour liquids into a vessel through the small opening at the lower end.
Test tubes are U-shaped with an open top and a closed bottom. The open end can be closed with a rubber or glass stopper. Test tubes are used for hot and cold applications. They also come in handy to hold, mix and heat chemical substances.
Crucibles are cup-shaped glassware science equipment with a lid. They are used to heat chemicals that require melting at high temperatures.
Laboratory thermometers measure the accurate temperature of a chemical or a mixture. Glass thermometers are as popular as digital or infrared models.
Condensers are long tubes with a coiled inner tube. They are used to cool gas or heated liquid during the distillation process.
Petri dishes are shallow glassware used to culture the living cells. They can also resist thermal shocks.
Slides are flat thin pieces of glassware used to hold specimens under a microscope during the stud or inspection.
Stirring rods resemble straws, the only difference being that they are made from thin glass. They are used to mix samples and solvents. They are available in different lengths.
There is no doubt that glassware is ideal science equipment to do experiments in the high school chemistry labs. However, it is also important to buy high-quality glassware and have good resistance to high temperatures for the safety of students, teachers and other users. Hence, you should purchase your lab glassware only from reputed manufacturers and suppliers.
