Laboratory glassware

Laboratory glassware comprises glass vessels and apparatus used to contain, measure, mix, heat, or transfer substances. Its shapes and graduations suit particular operations, while glass composition determines chemical and thermal resistance.

Beaker: A wide-mouthed cylindrical vessel with a pouring lip, used for holding, mixing, and heating liquids. Its simple shape makes it a common vessel for approximate-volume work.
Borosilicate glass: A glass containing boron trioxide, known for low thermal expansion and strong resistance to thermal shock. It is widely used where laboratory vessels face heating and chemical exposure.
Titration: A quantitative method that determines a solution’s concentration by reacting it with a measured reagent. A burette delivers titrant while a flask holds the reacting sample.
Plastic laboratoryware: Laboratory containers and tools made from polymers rather than glass. Plastic is lighter and less breakable, but may resist heat or solvents less well.
Erlenmeyer flask: A conical flask with a narrow neck, suited to swirling liquids and limiting splashes. Its sloped sides let solutions be mixed without spilling.
Volumetric calibration: The process of establishing the volume corresponding to an instrument’s scale or calibration mark. Calibration distinguishes precise measuring vessels from glassware intended only for approximate volumes.
Volumetric analysis: Quantitative chemical analysis based on measuring the volumes of reacting solutions. Its accuracy depends on calibrated glassware and careful volume handling.
Quartz glass: High-purity silica glass with exceptional thermal stability and ultraviolet transmission. Quartz serves applications where ordinary borosilicate glass lacks heat or optical performance.
Graduated cylinder: A tall vessel marked with graduations for measuring liquid volume. It measures volumes more accurately than a beaker, without reaching volumetric-flask precision.
Thermal shock: Material failure caused by rapid temperature change that creates damaging internal stress. Uneven heating or cooling can crack glass laboratory vessels.

Linked from 10 pages