Guided Inquiry • Skills Lab

Lab Skills 1 Lab Equipment and Safety

Problem
What can you do to ensure that you work safely and efficiently in the science laboratory?

Introduction
Lab activities provide an opportunity to practice the process of science. They allow you to do
what scientists all over the world do in research laboratories and in the field. Like all scientists,
you must follow procedures that ensure your safety. These procedures also ensure that the data
you collect is reliable. Unlike most scientists, you will need to fit your experiments into a
specific block of time. Thus, your ability to work efficiently will be essential to your success.
In this lab, you will learn how to prevent accidents and thus work safely in the laboratory.
You will review some safety guidelines and become acquainted with the location and proper use
of safety equipment in your classroom laboratory.

Skills Focus
Observe, Infer, Compare and Contrast

Materials
• Paper
• Pencil
• Biology textbook

Pre-Lab Questions
1. Why might eating or drinking in the laboratory be dangerous?
2. How can reading through the entire investigation before beginning the
Procedure contribute to both safety and efficiency?
3. Look around the room what safety equipment do you recognize?
4. What safety procedures should you follow when cleaning up at the end
of an investigation?
5. Can minor safety procedures be skipped in order to finish the
investigation before the bell rings?

Procedure
Part A: Identifying Safety Symbols
Special symbols are used throughout your laboratory manuals to call attention to
investigations that require extre caution. Use Appendix B, Page A-11 in your textbook, as a
reference to describe what each symbol printed below means.

Introduction to Biology Page: 15

 1 5 9

2 6 10

3 7 11

4 8
12

Part B: Identifying Safety Procedures

Look at each of the following drawings identify two reasons why laboratory activities pictured
are unsafe and two reasons why the laboratory activities pictured are safe. You will be giving a
total of 4 reasons for each picture.

1. 2.

3. 4.

Analyze and Conclude

1. Infer Why is there a general safety rule to do only what your lab manual and teacher direct?
2. Sequence Describe what you would do if a glass beaker drops and breaks. List the
appropriate steps in order.
5. Predict Why do scientists include a detailed description of their procedures when they
publish the results of experiments?

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