COMMON LABORATORY

TECHNIQUES AND
OPERATIONS This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under
CC BY-SA

EXPERIMENT 1
(CHEM 101 – LABORATORY)

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Using a Bunsen Burner
A Bunsen burner uses gas to produce a flame that can then be
used to heat substances in lab. When used properly, Bunsen burners
are a safe and efficient source of heat.

Rubber tubing is used to connect the Bunsen burner to a gas supply.

Check the tubing for holes or cracks before connecting.You will
need to use a striker or match to light the Bunsen burner.
 BUNSEN BURNER RULES
1. To make sure the are is safe to work in i.e. flat surface, enough space to work, no
books too close to flame.
2. Hair tide back.
3. Sleeves rolled up to elbows.
4. Never leave it unattended.
5. Safe flame when not in use.
6. Light with air hole closed.
7. Check the tubing for any tears.
8. Use a heat-proof mat.
9. Best behaviour !!!
Steps:
1) Clear the area around the Bunsen burner of any flammable materials. Ensure that

nothing is above the Bunsen burner.

2) After checking the rubber tubing for holes or cracks, connect it to the gas valve at

the bench and the Bunsen burner.

3) Attach the rubber tubing to the gas outlet.

4) Close the air hole (clockwise) and slightly open the gas valve (counterclockwise).

5) Have a striker or lit match ready; open the gas outlet.

6) Light the burner. Be sure the striker is producing sparks as you strike it. IF YOU CANNOT LIGHT

THE BURNER, TURN OFF THE GAS! Ask your lab instructor to help you light the burner. The flame

will be yellow at first.

7) Once lit, rotate the barrel sleeve to the left to open the air holes. The flame will turn a blue shade

and become more intense.

8) Adjust the Gas Flow Regulator and Air Inlet Holes to achieve the desired height and intensity of

flame. 1-2 inches is usually a good height, but air flow in the lab may require a larger flame.

9) You should see two blue zones in the flame. Just above the tip of the inner cone is the hottest part

of the flame and should be used to heat substances.

 LUMINOUS FLAME NON-LUMINOUS FLAME
- Occurs when the air holes are closed - Occurs when the air holes are open,
and very little air is allowed to mix with allowing air into the burner
the gas. - Burns steadily
- Carbon particles are deposited on - Hotter than the luminous flame
apparatus. - Hottest part of the flame Appears is
- Orange/ Yellow just above the tip of the blue zone.
- Appears flickering and unsteady - Light blue and not easy to see.
- Not very hot - Blue flame or Heating flame
- Yellow flame or safety flame - More oxygen
- Less oxygen
Heating a test tube:

A test tube holder (or clamp) must be used to heat the solution
or substance in a test tube. Hold the test tube at an angle pointed
away from your, students’, and your instructor’s faces. NEVER
point the opening of a test tube toward anyone! Move the test
tube circularly in and out of the flame, heating from top to bottom.
Move the test tube back and forth in the flame to avoid
overheating in one spot. Do not stopper a test tube while it is
being heated. This Photo by
Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY-
SA
WEIGHING: Using a Triple Beam Balance
The triple beam balance is used to measure masses very precisely; the reading error is +/- 0.05
gram.

The maximum weight a triple beam balance can measure is 600 grams.
•The first beam can measure up to 10 grams.
•The second beam can measure up to 500 grams, read in 100 g increments.
•The third beam can measure up to 100 grams, read in 10 g increments.

STEPS:
•Once the balance has been calibrated, place the object to be measured on the pan.
•Move the 100 gram slider along the beam to the right until the indicator drops below the fixed mark.
The notched position immediately to the left of this point indicates the number of hundreds of grams.
•Now move the 10 gram slider along the beam to the right until the indicator drops below the fixed
mark. The notched position immediately to the left of this point indicates the number of tens of
grams.
•The beam in front is not notched; the slider can move anywhere along the beam. The boldface
numbers on this beam are grams and the tick marks between the boldface numbers indicate tenths
of grams.
•To find the mass of the object on the pan, simple add the numbers from the three beams.
Transferring Solid Chemicals:
Solid chemicals are generally kept in reagent bottles.
Remember:
• Stoppers of reagent bottles should be laid with the flat side on the table to
prevent contamination.
• If the stopper has winged top, it is held between two fingers and never laid on
the table.
• Dark colored reagent bottles are used to protect some chemicals from bright
light.
• Use a clean and dry spatula.A dirty spatula will not only contaminate the
portion taken but also what is left in the bottle.
• Dispense only as much reagent as is needed. NEVER return excess to the
reagent bottle. DO NOT insert a spatula, scoopula, or any other object into
the reagent bottle. These will contaminate the solid.
Mastery of this technique is useful in preparing a solution of known
concentration.

For example:

A stock solution is prepared by weighing out an appropriate portion of a

pure solid or by measuring out an appropriate volume of a pure liquid and
diluting to a known volume (https://chem.libretexts.org/).

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Transferring Liquid Chemicals:
To transfer a liquid reagent to another container, you may do the
following techniques:
• When pouring a liquid into a wide mouthed container, have the
neck of the reagent bottle touch the rim of the receiving vessel.
• Use a glass rod or a funnel when transferring a liquid into a
narrow mouthed container. The glass rod or funnel directs the
flow of the liquid and prevents it from spilling down the side of
the container.
Extra Caution With Strong Acids!!!
When you mix acid with water, it's extremely important to add the acid to the water rather
than the other way around (www.thoughtco.com).

REASON:
Acid and water react in a vigorous exothermic reaction, releasing heat, sometimes
boiling the liquid.

--- add acid to water the water is unlikely to splash up

cause injuries

--- add water to acid the water boils and the acid may
splatter and splash!(corrosive)
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Separating a Solid from a Liquid
Separation Techniques:
1. Decanting: A crude way of separating insoluble solids from liquids, as the liquid is poured
away and collected in another container. Note that the insoluble solid should be able to settle
down on standing and this method is not effective for obtaining clear liquid from the mixture
especially when the insoluble solid is very fine and light.
2. Filtration: Separation of solids or groups of solids from the liquid in a mixture,
using a medium through which the liquid can pass.
The liquid that passes through the filter paper is called the filtrate while the
solid left on the filter paper is called the residue.
3. Evaporation: In the case which we do not need to collect the solvent. The solvent is boiled off
and escape into the air while the solute is left behind in the holding container. Note that this
method is not suitable for use on solutes which can decomposed by heating (e.g. Copper II
sulfate).

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