Name______________________________ Period_________
Lab Equipment Worksheet
Students are required to learn the names and functions of various types of equipment that they may use
in Chemistry laboratory activities. This worksheet identifies the most common items and describes what
they are used for. Attached to this worksheet is a handout “Common Laboratory Equipment” which
shows drawings of each item.
Part I: Description of Lab Equipment
Name
Function
Name
Function
Bunsen burner
Lab equipment which produces a
single open gas flame, which is
used for heating, sterilization,
and combustion
Pipestem “Clay” triangle
Evaporating dish
Device used to evaporate solids
and supersaturated liquids
Test tubes
Beaker
Probably the most common
vessel for holding liquids in the
lab
Utility clamp
Ring stand
Used in many lab activities as the
support for another apparatus
Iron ring
Often attached to ring stand to
use as support for a beaker
Mortar & pestle
tool used to crush, grind, and mix
solid substances
Funnel
May be placed in an iron ring.
Used for filtration or the delivery
of liquids.
Safety goggles
Must be worn for lab activities to
protect the eyes.
Wire gauze
Often placed over the iron ring,
to provide a “stage” for a beaker
Watch glass
used in chemistry as a surface to
evaporate a liquid, to hold solids
while being weighed, or as a
cover for a beaker
Erlenmeyer flask
May be used to hold liquids
instead of beakers, when a
smaller opening is preferred.
Rubber stoppers & Corks
Used to contain liquids in test
tubes and flasks
Tongs
Used to handle hot beakers and
other glassware
Buret
It is used to dispense known
amounts of a liquid reagent in
experiments for which such
precision is necessary, such as a
titration experiment
Graduated cylinder
Used to measure the volume of
liquids
File
A file is a metalworking and
woodworking tool used to cut
fine amounts of material from a
workpiece.
Crucible & cover
container which can withstand
high temperature and is used for
metal, glass, and pigment
production
24-well plate
is a flat plate with multiple
"wells" used as small test tubes
Forceps
Forceps are a handheld, hinged
instrument used for grasping and
holding objects.
Spatula & Scoopula
A spatula is used to take and
handle small quantities of solid
chemicals. It serves as a spoon.
Wire brush
The wire brush is primarily an
abrasive implement, used for
cleaning rust and removing paint
Test-tube rack
Used to holds many test tubes.
Thermometer
Used to measure temperature
Pipets, Micropipets &
Droppers
Wash bottle
A pipette (also called a pipet,
pipettor or chemical dropper) is a
laboratory instrument used to
transport a measured volume of
liquid.
A squeeze bottle with a nozzle,
used to rinse various pieces of
laboratory glassware, such as
test tubes and round bottom
flasks.
Can be placed on an iron ring to
provide a stage for a crucible
Used for many activities which
requires multiple reagents or
solutions
May be attached to a ring stand
and be made to hold a test tube
or thermometer
Part II: Explain which piece of laboratory equipment would be most useful for each of the
following tasks:
1)
Holding 50 mL of boiling water: ______ ___________________________________
2)
Melting crystals to make glass:___________________________________________
3)
Pouring 50 mL of acid from one container to another:________________________
4)
Measuring exactly 43 mL of water: _______________________________________
5)
Crushing large chunks of sodium chloride:__________________________________
6)
Adding 10 drops of iodine to a solution:____________________________________
7)
Suspending glassware over a Bunsen burner:________________________________
8)
Removing solid iron shavings from a reagent bottle:__________________________
9)
Keeping the contents of a boiling beaker from splattering:_____________________
10)
Transferring a hot beaker from a hot plate to cool:___________________________
11)
Notching copper shavings from a solid block:_______________________________
12)
Mixing many different solutions to compare pH:_____________________________
13-17) Diagram A shows a typical setup for boiling a liquid. In the boxes provided, name the five items
used.
18-20) Diagram B shows a typical titration lab setup. In the boxed provided, name the three items
used.
Diagram A: Boiling a Liquid
Diagram B: Chemical Titration
18.
13.
19.
14.
15.
16.
17.
20.
Part III: Mini-Lab. The best way to become familiar with a chemical apparatus it the actually handle
the pieces yourself in the lab. Great emphasis is placed on safety precautions that
should be observed whenever you perform an experiment or use certain apparatus.
A. Bunsen Burner Demonstration
Safety:
Goggles, Flammable
Materials:
Tongs, Striker/Sparker, Bunsen burner, Tubing, Copper wire
Procedure:
1. The Bunsen burner is commonly used as a source of heat in the lab. Each has a gas
inlet located in the base, vertical tubing in which the gas mixes with air, and
adjustable openings or ports in the base of the barrel. These ports admit air to the
gas stream. The burner is always turned off at the gas valve!
2. Check safety…check all hosing for cracks or holes. Make sure safety goggles are on.
3. Adjust the air ports at the base of the barrel to be 50% open and 50% closed.
4. Turn the gas valve on (referring to a clock = 12:20 or 12:25), and immediately hold the sparker about 5cm
above the top of the burner and spark. If you have trouble lighting, turn off Bunsen burner, and contact
the teacher for assistance. (CAUTION: Improperly burning will produce the poisonous gas Carbon Monoxide)
5. There are 2 types of flame: nonluminous = blue (very little noise), or luminous = yellow. Luminous is
seldom used in the lab; it is too cool of a flame and produced soot on materials being burned due to
incomplete combustion.
6. Regulate the flame to about 8 cm above the barrel. Adjust the air ports to obtain a sharply defined inner
blue cone.
7. Using forceps and a piece of 10cm copper wire, locate the hottest portion of the flame. Do this by placing
the end of the copper wire in the gas closest to the barrel, slowly working your way up the flame.
Observe the wire.
8. Shut off the gas burner.
Answer the following questions. (If you have any questions about the Bunsen burner contact the teacher.)
 What does the safety symbol represent for this portion of the lab?
 What was the result of closing the ports?
o Why?
 Where is the hottest portion on the nonluminous flame located?
o How did you figure this out?
 Why is the nonluminous flame preferred in the chemistry lab over the luminous flame?
B. Electronic Scale & Triple Beam Balance
Materials:
Unknown object, electronic scale, triple beam balance
Procedure:
Weigh and record the mass in grams of the unknown object using both devices
1. Electronic Scale:
2. Triple Beam Balance:
3. Which apparatus gave you a more accurate measurement?
Why do you think so?
C. Graduated Cylinder, Beaker & Flask
Materials:
Colored liquid, graduated cylinder, beaker, flask
Procedure:
Record the volume in mL in each apparatus.
4. Liquid volume in graduated cylinder :
5. Liquid volume in beaker:
6. Liquid volume in flask:
7. Which apparatus gave you a more accurate measurement?
Why do you think so?
FOR TEACHER: LAB SET-UP…
KEY POINT: The more accurate measurement will have more calibrations on the apparatus
2 stations of weighing devices
 2 electronic scales
 2 triple beam balances
 2 metal objects (one per station)
 Remind students to zero out electronic balance before reading measurement
2 stations for liquid measurements
 2 graduated cylinders (100 ml)
 2 beakers (150 ml)
 2 flasks (200 ml)
 One drop of food coloring in water
 Have different measurements for each one
 Paper towel (in case of spills)