Glassware & Apparatus

Tutorial - 1
Biochemistry Laboratory
Ad-din Sakina Women’s Medical College ,
Jashore, Bangladesh.
 Glassware used in a
Biochemistry laboratory
 Glassware
Glassware is separated into two
types, they are:

1. To contain type
2. To deliver type
“To contain” type
glassware
“To contain type” glassware includes:

• VOLUMETRIC FLASK
• BEAKER
• CONICAL FLASK
• MEASURING CYLINDER
• TEST TUBES
• REAGENT BOTTLES
VOLUMETRIC FLASK
 Also called measuring flask or
graduated flask.
These flasks are usually pear-
shaped, with a flat bottom, and made of
glass or plastic. The neck of volumetric
flask is elongated and narrow with an
imprinted ring graduation marking.
 VOLUMETRIC FLASK contain
a precise volume in a certain room
temperature (usually 20⁰C) and can be
found in different volume and size,
such as 25, 50, 100, 250, 500 and
1000ml flask.
 Use of VOLUMETRIC FLASK

It is used to prepare solution

(may be slandered solution) of an
accurate volume or dilution of
solutions.
Solution are made up on to the
graduation line that indicates desired
volume.
Volumetric flask showing marking for “temperature” &
“graduation line”
BEAKER
 BEAKER
A beaker is generally a cylindrical
container with a flat bottom. Most also
have a small spout (or "beak") to aid
pouring.
Beakers are available in a wide range of
sizes, from one milliliter up to several liters.
They are commonly made of glass
(usually borosilicate), but can also be in
metal or polypropylene.
 BEAKER

Beakers are often graduated, but

they are not for precise volumetric
measurement, but can be used only for
estimation.
Beaker is actually used for mixing,
stirring and heating chemicals.
CONICAL FLASK
 CONICAL FLASK

CONICAL FLASK is also called

Erlenmeyer flask or titration flask. It
has a flat bottom, a conical body, and
a cylindrical neck. It is named after
the German chemist Emil Erlenmeyer
(1860).
 CONICAL FLASK

CONICAL FLASK is found in

different volume, such as 25, 50, 100,
250 and 400ml size flask.
It is usually made of glass, but
can be made of different opaque
materials like Pyrex or even plastic
according to their use.
 Uses of CONICAL FLASK
• Mixed of content by swirling, without risk
of spillage.
• Suitable for titrations by placing it under
the burette.
• Suitable for boiling liquids. Hot vapor
condenses on the upper narrow part
reducing solvent loss.
• Narrow necks can also support filter
funnels.
Measuring
cylinder
 MEASURING CYLINDER
Also known as “graduated cylinder”
or “mixing cylinder”.
A traditional MEASURING CYLINDER
is usually narrow and tall so as to
increase the accuracy and precision of
volume measurement. It has a plastic or
glass base and a "spout" for easy
pouring.
 MEASURING CYLINDER

It is made of glass or polypropylene

(PP). The later one is light, less fragile
and easy to autoclave.
A 100mL cylinder have 1ml grading
divisions (marking) while a 10mL cylinder
have 0.1 mL grading divisions on it’s
body. It is found in different volume.
 MEASURING CYLINDER

It is used to measure the volume of

a liquid. Each marked line on the
graduated cylinder represents the
amount of liquid that has to be
measured.
Although it is not as much accurate
as burette or pipette.
TEST TUBES
 TEST TUBES
TEST TUBES are long “U” shaped
glassware that is open at the top and
closed at the bottom.
They are made of glass and found
in different size like big, medium or
small.
TEST TUBES
 Use of TEST TUBES

TEST TUBES are used for qualitative

experiments. It is used to hold, mix or
heat small amount of sample or
chemical.
REAGENT BOTTLES
REAGENT BOTTLE also a “To contain” glassware
 REAGENT BOTTOLS are used for
storage of chemical stock or working.
They are made of glass or plastic,
depending upon the nature of the
chemical they are containing. These
bottles / container must have an
appropriate label on them.
REAGENT BOTTLES
 REAGENT BOTTLES

Some times they are colored

bottles to prevent exposure of the
content (chemical) from direct sunlight.
“To deliver” type
glassware
 “To deliver type” glassware includes:
• DROPPER
• FUNNEL
• PIPETTE
• BURETTE
DROPPER
 DROPPER
Dropper suck up liquid (chemical
/ sample) that can then be squeezed
out in small drops. Actually droppers
are simplest type of pipette, so also
called Disposable/Transfer Pipette.
Nice to know:
15 drops = 1 ml and 1 drop = 4 micro-drops.
1 tea spoonful = 5 ml liquid (all values are
approximate).
DROPPER

It is usually made
of plastic or glass
with a rubber or
plastic bulb to
squeeze and
release.
GLASS FUNNEL
 FUNNEL

FUNNEL are used to transfer

liquids or fine-grained materials into
containers with small opening.
It is also used for filtration (with a
filter paper).
Use of glass funnel
PIPETTE
PIPETTE (VOLUMETRIC)
 PIPETTE
There are various types and
grades of pipettes. Among them we
usually work with,
• Transfer pipette or simple dropper
(already discussed earlier).
• Graduated pipette or Mohr pipette
• Volumetric pipette
• Micropipette
 Using pipette by mouth sucking (Left) and using a
rubber bulb (safe & recommended) instead of using
mouth.
Showing the important markings on a pipette
Volumetric pipette with an improved sucking
and delivery system
 Volumetric
pipette
Pipette showing the
volume to be measured
(in this picture : 20ml) &
collected in a certain
temperature (22⁰C) and
also showing the expel
time (Ex ± 15 sec) of the
volume of fluid measured
and drawn.
PIPETTE can
deliver different
volume of liquid
with accuracy.
 A person using Graduated Pipette or Mohr
pipette. Notice graduated marks on it (Right).
MICROPIPETTE
 Use of pipette
Measuring an exact volume of
liquid and placing it into another
container.
Micropipette is used to measure
and transfer very small amount of
fluid with great accuracy.
They are usually made of glass or
plastic.
BURETTE
BURETTE
BURETTE
Burettes are available in different size.
 Use of BURETTE

Used for dispensing or delivering

an accurate volume of liquid.
Volumetric burette delivers a
measured volume of solution in a
determined flow rate.
A burette is usually used during
titration experiments.
Flow of measured volume of fluid is controlled
by a stopcock
Different types of stopcock valve.