LABORATORY APPARATUS  
Laboratory apparatus are a special tool or equipment used in the laboratory for  
doing experiments. They are used for various purposes such as measuring, testing  
heating, filtering, grinding holding, storing, scooping and safety.  
Classification of laboratory apparatus  
They can be classified according to;  
a) Material made  
b) Uses or purpose  
A) LABORATORY APPARATUS ACCORDING TO MATERIAL MADE  
1. Apparatus made of glass such as test tubes, beakers, flasks, measuring  
cylinder.  
2. Apparatus made of metals such as tongs, tripod stand, wire gauze, spatula  
and retort stand  
3. Apparatus made of wood such as test tube racks and test tube holder  
4. Apparatus made of porcelain or ceramic such as white tiles, evaporating  
dish, mortar and pestle and crucible  
5. Apparatus made up of plastic such as washing bottle, funnel, beaker,  
dropper, measuring cylinder and beaker.  
NOTE:  
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Most of the chemical apparatus in chemistry laboratory are made up of glass due  
to the following reasons;  
(a) Glass is transparent allowing scientists and students to observe chemical  
reactions and physical changes within the apparatus.  
(b) Glass is easy to clean and sterilize, making it suitable for reuse in the  
laboratory settings.  
(c) Glass does not rust.  
(d) Glass can withstand high temperatures without melting or being deformed.  
(e) Glass is resistant to chemical reactions with a wide range of substances thus  
does not contaminate the substances being studied.  
NOTE: Some pieces of glass apparatus have the word PYREX written on them,  
this is a hard type of glass that is;  
(i)  
(ii)  
Resistant to heat i.e.it is less likely to break when heated even at high  
temperature.  
Resistant to many chemicals i.e. does not react with most of the  
chemicals.  
(iii)  
It is an electrical insulator. It is sometimes referred as borosilicate.  
Disadvantages of using glass apparatus  
(a)They are easy to break (not durable).  
(b)They are relatively expensive.  
(c) When they break, becomes hazardous.  
(d)They are heavy compared to plastics  
(e)They are not easy to store and transport.  
Advantages of using plastic apparatus  
(a)Plastic apparatus are cheaper than glass apparatus.  
(b)Plastic apparatus are durable  
(c) Plastic apparatus are easy to store and transport.  
(d)Plastic containers can be easily recycled.  
(e)They have light weight, therefore easy to handle than glass and metal  
apparatus.  
Disadvantages of using plastic apparatus  
(a)Plastic apparatus degrade over time.  
(b)Plastic apparatus are less transparent  
(c) Plastic apparatus react with some chemicals used in experiments.  
(d)Plastic apparatus can be easily destructed by heat.  
(e)Plastic apparatus are hard to wash when contaminated.  
(f) Plastic apparatus have large impacts on the environment (non-biodegradable).  
Precautions when handling wood apparatus  
1. Avoid keeping them near to open flames and heat.  
2. Avoid spilling corrosive chemicals on them such as concentrated acids.  
B. LABORATORY APPARATUS ACCORDING TO THEIR USES  
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING  
DIAGRAM AND MATERIAL  
USES  
NAME OF  
APPARATUS  
Pipette  
Glass  
Used to measure  
specific volume of  
liquids.  
Measuring cylinder  
•
•
Used to measure  
volume of liquids.  
Used for mixing  
Liquids  
Glass or plastic  
Thermometer  
Burette  
Used to measure the  
temperature of  
substances  
Glass  
Glass  
Used to measure  
accurate volume of  
liquids.  
(commonly used in  
titration)  
Measuring syringe  
Glass or plastic  
Used for sucking in  
and measuring  
volumes of liquids and  
gases.  
Triple beam balance  
Used to measure  
masses of substances.  
metal  
Electronic analytical  
balance  
Plastic  
It is used to measure  
accurate mass of  
substances.  
Stop watch  
Used to measure time  
during experiments.  
Metal or plastic  
Spring balance  
Beaker  
Metal and plastic  
Used to measure  
weight of objects.  
•
•
Used for mixing,  
holding and heating  
liquids (glass  
beaker).  
glass or plastic  
Used to measure  
estimated volume of  
liquids.  
APPARATUS FOR TESTING  
•
•
Used for holding or  
heating chemicals,  
Used for mixing  
chemicals in simple  
reactions  
Test tube  
Dropper  
Glass  
Used to add liquids  
drop by drop during  
experiment.  
Glass or plastic  
APPARATUS FOR TESTING  
Flasks- These include  
conical flask,round  
bottomed flask,flat  
bottomed  
They are used for  
holding, heating and  
preparation of  
solutions.  
Conical flask  
flask,volumetric  
flask,distillation flask  
Flat bottomed flask  
Round bottomed  
flask  
(Material glass)  
Watch glass  
Gas jar  
-
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Hold substance for  
observation and  
weighing  
Glass  
Cover for beaker  
Used for collecting  
and testing gases  
during experiments.  
Glass  
Thistle funnel/  
dropping funnel  
Used to add reagents  
into flasks or any  
other exact point.  
Glass  
APPARATUS FOR HEATING  
Burners and lamps  
Used for heating  
substances in the  
laboratory. Examples;  
Bunsen burner and  
spirit burner,  
Metal  
Glass  
kerosene stove  
Boling tube  
Is a large test tube  
used to heat  
substances strongly  
when the amount of  
substance is too large  
for test tube.  
Glass  
Tripod stand  
Wire gauze  
It is a stand with  
three legs that  
support containers  
being heated.  
Metal  
Is put on tripod stand  
to spread heat and  
flame uniformly  
(equally).  
Metal  
Crucible and lid  
Used to heat  
substances at very  
high temperature.  
Porcelain/ceramic  
Porcelain /ceramic  
Evaporating dish  
Used to heat and  
evaporate liquids and  
solutions.  
Deflagrating spoon  
Used to heat small  
amounts of  
substances inside a  
gas jar  
Metal  
Pipe clay triangle  
Used for supporting  
the crucible during  
heating.  
Made of clay and wires  
Sand bath and Water  
bath  
For heating apparatus  
by preventing direct  
heat.  
Metal  
APPARATUS FOR FILTERING  
Filter funnel  
Filter paper  
•
•
Used to hold filter  
paper for filtration.  
Used to pour liquids  
between containers  
Plastic/ glass  
For filtering liquids in  
chemical processes.  
Paper  
APPARATUS FOR GRIDING  
Mortar and pestle  
Used for crushing and  
grinding substances  
Clay  
APPATATUS FOR HOLDING  
Test tube rack  
Used for keeping test  
tube safely.  
Wood, metal or plastics  
Metal and wood  
Test tube holder  
Used for holding test  
tube during heating.  
Retort stand and  
clamp  
Used for holding  
apparatus such as  
burette during  
experiment.  
Metal  
Tongs  
Used for holding hot  
substances and  
apparatus during  
experiment  
metal  
APPARATUS FOR STORAGE  
Reagent bottles  
Used for storing  
chemicals, reagent or  
solutions.  
Glass  
Plastic wash bottle  
Used to store distilled  
water.  
Plastic  
APPARATUS FOR SCOOPING  
Scooping is the picking up of a substance especially in powder form using a  
spoon with a deep bowl.  
Spatula  
Used for scooping  
small quantities of  
powder or crystalline  
chemicals.  
Metal  
APPARATUS FOR SAFETY (PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENTS, PPE)  
Safety goggles  
Used to protect eyes from  
chemical spills, strong  
light and harmful vapours  
in the laboratory.  
Plastic or glass  
Nose mask  
Face masks  
Used to prevent inhaling  
the fumes and chemical  
spills.  
Plastic, Rubber and cloth  
Plastic  
Are worn over the nose  
and mouth to protect  
against airborne particles,  
gases and fumes  
Laboratory coats  
Safety boot  
Used to protect skin  
against chemicals spills  
and splashes.  
Cloth  
For protecting feet against  
falling objects, chemical  
spills, slips and electric  
hazards.  
Rubber  
Gloves  
Are worn in order to  
protect hands from  
exposure to hazardous  
chemicals.  
OTHER APPARATUS  
Liebig condenser  
Trough  
For condensation of  
vapour  
Glass  
Used to hold water,  
mostly when preparing  
gases  
Glass  
Dropping bottle  
Beehive shelf  
For storing different  
chemicals. Its cover is  
modified into a dropper.  
Glass  
For holding gas jar  
upright  
Clay  
Glass rod or stirring  
rod  
Used to stir solutions in  
order to mix them  
completely.  
Desiccator  
For drying solid chemicals  
Glass  
Kipp’s Apparatus  
For continuous  
preparation of small  
amount of gases from  
chemical reaction.  
Glass  
Fractionating column  
Used in the distillation  
process to separate  
compounds which have  
close boiling points. For  
example water and  
ethanol  
Delivery tube  
Used to deliver gases.  
Glass  
Separating funnel  
For separation of  
immiscible liquid mixture.  
Glass  
Manual centrifuge  
machine  
Used to separate  
substances with different  
densities within a liquid or  
suspension using  
centrifugal force.  
Metal  
Question  
Why it is necessary to familiarize yourself with laboratory apparatus? Give any four  
(4) reasons.  
Answer  
•
•
•
•
Reduces the risk of accidents and injuries.  
Allows you to use them accurately and precisely.  
Allows working more efficiently.  
Reducing the need for frequent replacement and saving the laboratory money in the  
long run.  
•
Saves time during experiments. Experiments are completed earlier and faster.  
NOTE: It is recommended that a laboratory apparatus should be properly washed or  
wiped after use. This is significant when taking measurement because:  
(a)  
(b)  
When measuring volume of liquids washing helps to avoid contamination of  
the measured liquids with other substances while wiping helps to remove  
water content on the apparatus that may affect the volume being measured.  
When measuring mass of the substance washing helps to avoid  
contamination of the measured liquids with other substances while wiping  
helps to remove water content on the apparatus that may affect the mass of  
the substance to be measured.  
REVISION EXERCISE TWO  
1. The following list contains the names of pieces of apparatus with the letters in  
each name jumbled up. Rearrange the letters to produce the name of ten pieces  
of apparatus.  
(a) (i) lupstaa  
(vi) faskl  
(ii) lefnun  
(vii) tertbeu (viii) rebake (ix) gotsn  
(iii) tptipee  
(iv) romtmreehet  
(v) bulceric  
(x) gothur  
(b) From the list above  
(i) Name seven pieces of apparatus made of glass.  
(ii) Name four pieces of apparatus which can be used as containers.  
(iii) Name two apparatus which can be used to measure volume of liquids.  
2. How students should behave when performing their activities in the laboratory?  
3. (a) Suppose your laboratory does not have any water, explain four possible  
dangers of using it  
(b) Why shelves in the laboratory should be constructed in a way that bit is at eye  
level and not above eye level? Explain  
4. Amina and Grace were playing abruptly Amina’s nose starts to Release some blood  
she suffered a lot from the problem and Grace had nothing to help her on that  
severe problem, you as the form two student using the knowledge of first aid  
procedures. Give any four first aid procedures that you will follow to help Amina  
from the problem before any medical assistance.  
5. Explain how to handle chemicals having the warning signs of flammable, corrosive,  
harmful, explosive and toxic in the laboratory.  
6. Explain how the measurement of volume differs when using burette and when  
using measuring cylinder.