UNIT 1 APPARATUS-ANDEXPERIMENTAL

TECHNIQUES

STRUCTURE

1.2 Laboratory Safety

1.3 Laboratory Note Book
1.4 Laboratory Apparatus and Operations
Heating
Evaporation
Precipitation
Digestion
Filtration
Drying and Ignition of Precipitates .
Cooling
Weighing
1.5 Common Laboratory Reagents
1.5 Summary

1.1 INTRODUCTION
In this unit we will discuss some of the common experimental techniques which you will
use for carrying out experiments in this Chemistry Laboratory course. We will also
describe the apparatus required for various experiments, in addition to the common
laboratory apparatus with which you are already familiar. Safety in laboratory and
preparation of a laboratory note book are very important aspects of any laboratory course.
We will, therefore, first of all describe the safety measures, which you should always take
in a chemistry laboratory, and how to prepare a laboratory note book.

Objectives
After studying this unit, you should be able to:
a take proper safety measures while working in a chemistry laboratory,
a record experiments in a laboratory note book,
a identify and properly handle the laboratory apparatus, and
a perform common laboratory operations such as heating, evaporation, precipitation,
digestion, filtration, drying, ignition, cooling, weighing, etc.

1.2 LABORATORY SAFETY

Chemistry laboratories are potentially dangerous places because they contain inflammable
liquids, poisonous chemicals and fragile glassware. Where high pressure cylinders of gases
are used, they also pose a potential danger. Safety in laboratory is important not only to
you, but to other students and staff also in the laboratory. Therefore, proper precautions
must always be taken and safe experimental procedures must be followed while working
in a chemistry laboratory.
Some important general safety precautions are given below. Any special precautions or
safety measures, if required, are given in the particular experiments. You should read all
these carefully and follow them faithfully.