Common Laboratory Glassware

1. Glassware for Qualitative Uses

Beakers

The beaker is one of the most common pieces of glassware in the laboratory. It is a
simple cylindrical container used to hold solids and liquids with sizes ranging from
very small (10 mL) to very large (4,000 mL). The graduations are approximate, but
very useful when exact volumes are not needed.

Flasks

Flasks are designed so the contents can be swirled without spilling. They are also
easily fitted with stoppers and often have the stopper size written directly on the
flask.

Erlenmeyer Flask

The most common of all flasks, the Erlenmeyer flask has a flat bottom with
approximate graduations. The flat bottom allows the Erlenmeyer flask to be directly
heated and used in simple reflux (boiling) and condensation procedures.

Florence Flask

The Florence flask is a hybrid between the round bottom and the Erlenmeyer flask
and ranges from a few hundred milliliters to a few liters in size. Florence flasks can
have either a flat bottom or a round bottom, so applications vary from direct heating
to using a heating mantle. It does not have a ground glass joint, so a stopper is used
to seal the container. The rounded shape is better for applications that involve
boiling.

Test Tubes

Test tubes are relatively small cylindrical vessels used to store, heat, and mix
chemicals. While the test tube comes in specific sizes, it's typically used in qualitative
observational procedures.

Watch Glass

The watch glass is used when a high surface area is needed for a small volume of
liquid. This is common for crystallizing and evaporating, as well as other qualitative
procedures. Watch glasses can also be used as covers for beakers, but not flasks.

Crystallization Dish

The crystallization dish is a hybrid between a watch glass and the Petri dish (common
in biological procedures). It has a low height-to-width ratio, which means the sides are
very low compared to the width of the vessel. This allows for high surface areas for
evaporation, but the crystallization dish is more commonly used as a short-term
container for liquids in a variety of bath processes (water, acid, or oil).
Common Laboratory Glassware

2. Glassware for Measuring

Graduated Cylinder

The graduated cylinder is used to measure a semi-precise volume of liquid. While it is

Volumetric Glassware

Used for making standardized (high precision) solutions, where precision is known to four
significant figures.

Flasks

Volumetric flasks are a mainstay when preparing any standardized solution. Since
volumes are not necessarily additive, the volumetric flask is used to make solutions of
precise volumes. The etched mark on the neck of the glassware signifies the volume to
high precision at the specified temperature. Volumetric flasks range in size from 1 mL to
4,000 mL and larger.

Pipettes

Volumetric pipettes are known for high precision, like volumetric flasks, but are used to
dispense liquids, typically in the preparation of solutions in a volumetric flask. The pipette
also has an etched mark denoting a precise volume, and the solution is drawn into the
pipette using a pipette bulb, never by mouth.

Micropipettes

Micropipettes are a specialized class of volumetric pipettes used for very small volumes
from 1 µl to 1,000 µL. The micropipette uses plastic disposable tips, but these can be re-
used under appropriate situations. Most micropipettes have an adjustable range of
volumes using separate withdraw and dispense actions on the pipette body.

Burettes

The burette is an analytical piece of glassware used to dispense variable (but precise)
volumes of liquids. Commonly found in analytical chemistry, the burette is used in a variety
of titration experiments.

3. Procedural Glassware

Round-bottom (Boiling) Flasks

Round-bottom flasks, or boiling flasks, are typically found in synthesis experiments, since the
round shape allows for even heating and stirring. The neck typically has a female ground-
glass joint and can be attached to condensers and other pieces of glassware.
Common Laboratory Glassware

Separatory Funnel

While most common to the organic chemistry lab, the separatory funnel is used to
separate liquids of different densities and solubilities. The bottom of the separatory
funnel is very narrow and leads to a stopcock, allowing for precise separations of
liquids, while the top is very wide for ease in shaking and mixing.

Filter (Büchner) Flask (used for vacuum filtration)

The filter flask looks like an Erlenmeyer flask, but has a hose barb near the top to
attach a vacuum hose. The flask typically has thicker walls than an Erlenmeyer due to
the reduced pressure (vacuum) used with the flask. Vacuum (Büchner) funnels fit into
the neck of the flask using a rubber collar or a 1-hole rubber stopper.

Funnels (used for filtering and transferring)

Traditional funnels used for gravity filtration have a wide cone-shaped body, for adding
and filtering solutions, and a long narrow stem, for delivery into a flask. Filter paper is
folded into a cone shape, inserted into the funnel, and wetted with a solvent (typically
water). Filter paper is only used in conjunction with the filter funnel.

Ceramics

Büchner Funnel

The ceramic Büchner funnel fits into the filter (Büchner) flask using a rubber cone or 1-
hole rubber stopper. The funnel is typically made of ceramic with pin-sized holes in the
flat bottom. Filter paper is placed on top of the holes and wetted with solvent (water) to
prevent solids from getting under the filter paper.

Crucible

A crucible is made of ceramic and holds small amounts of chemicals during heating at
high temperatures. Depending on the specific type, the crucible can withstand
temperatures above 1,000 °C and is used in conjunction with a Bunsen burner or
furnace. Common uses include heating a hydrated solid to remove water or
combusting a compound to determine organic content.

Mortar and Pestle

While the mortar and pestle originated in chemistry (and alchemy) laboratories, it is
more common in pharmacology, biology, and culinary applications. Made of ceramic or
stone, materials are placed in the bowl-shaped mortar and ground and crushed using
the pestle.