Lab equipment
Below is a table showing a list of the most commonly used pieces of lab equipment. As well as a photo and a description, we have drawn the commonly used symbol for each piece of equipment. These symbols are used to make quick, clear and easy to follow diagrams of how an experiment should be set up..
Guidelines for drawing equipment:-
Make your diagrams really big. Tiny diagrams are hard to follow.
- Use a sharp HB pencil to make clear and clean lines – not sketchy lines.
- Use a ruler for any straight lines and draw smooth curves.
- Draw 2 D diagrams – not 3D art drawings.
- Label your pieces of equipment and your chemicals too. It just makes sure that everyone knows what you mean.
- Lines for labels should be ruled, horizontally if possible, with the name neatly written.
Name / Photo / Symbol / Use
Beaker / / / A heat-proof glass container used for mixing and heating chemicals.
Test tube / / / A small, thin, glass container for mixing small amounts of chemicals. A boiling tube is a larger test tube that is designed for heating liquids.
Conical flask / / / A heat-proof glass container that is used instead of a beaker because it can be swirled better, and can also slow down loss by evaporation. Filter funnels sit well on top of these also.
Filter funnel / / / Used to pour liquids safely into small-mouthed containers, and to support filter paper when filtering a solution.
Measuring cylinder / / / A tall, thin container used to measure volume of liquid accurately.
Evaporating dish / / / A heat-proof container designed to allow liquid to evaporate away more quickly, usually to leave behind a solid. Can also be called an evaporating basin.
Test tube holder / / / A device designed especially to hold test tubes while they are hot.
Tongs / / / A scissor-like device designed to hold hot objects. Be careful that you have a secure grip on your hot object, some tongs don't hold things as well as they should.
Stirring rod / / / A heat-proof glass rod used for stirring and mixing chemicals.
Spatula / / / A long, thin, flat piece of metal or plastic used to dish out powders and crystals.
Bunsen burner / / / A device used to heat things by burning gas in a controlled way.
Tripod / / / A metal stand with three legs used to hold things over a bunsen burner for heating.
Gauze mat / / / A mat made of wire mesh that sits on top of a tripod and stops smaller objects from falling through the middle of the tripod.
Retort stand and clamp / / / A stand made of a metal base plate and a tall, thin rod, used to support equipment off the ground. A boss head (windy bolt thing) and clamp (windy fork thing) can be attached at any level to hold the equipment secure.
Drawing Lab Equipment
Draw the equipment from page 10 & 11 in your text book
Remember
- Draw large diagrams – half page to full page in size.
- Use a sharp HB pencil to make clear and clean lines – not sketchy lines.
- Use a ruler for any straight lines and draw smooth curves.
- Draw 2 D diagrams – not 3D art drawings.
- Label your pieces of equipment and your chemicals too. It just makes sure that everyone knows what you mean.
- Lines for labels should be ruled, horizontally if possible, with the name neatly written.