Here's a list of 40 common laboratory apparatus, including their uses, and what they may resemble in home or office equipment. Since I cannot provide drawings, I will describe what they look like instead.
1. Beaker
- Use: Used for mixing, heating, and measuring liquids.
- Resembles: A drinking glass or large coffee mug.
2. Flask (Erlenmeyer)
- Use: For swirling liquid without spillage. Also used in titrations.
- Resembles: A bottle with a wide base and narrow neck, similar to a large water bottle.
3. Graduated Cylinder
- Use: For measuring the volume of liquids accurately.
- Resembles: A tall measuring cup.
4. Test Tube
- Use: For containing small amounts of substances for experiments.
- Resembles: A narrow drinking straw or small vials for samples.
5. Pipette
- Use: For transferring small volumes of liquids.
- Resembles: An eye dropper.
6. Buret
- Use: For dispensing precise volumes of liquid, usually during titration.
- Resembles: An IV drip bag or a long syringe.
7. Petri Dish
- Use: For culturing microorganisms.
- Resembles: A shallow food container or a lidless Tupperware.
8. Mortar and Pestle
- Use: For grinding solids into powders.
- Resembles: A small mixing bowl and a club-like grinder (like a spice grinder).
9. Funnel
- Use: For directing liquids or powders into containers.
- Resembles: A kitchen funnel.
10. Stirring Rod
- Use: For mixing solutions.
- Resembles: A chopstick or a long spoon.
11. Balance Scale
- Use: For measuring mass.
- Resembles: A digital kitchen scale.
12. Centrifuge
- Use: For separating substances of different densities.
- Resembles: A clothes dryer (the spin cycle).
13. Spectrophotometer
- Use: For measuring how much light is absorbed by a sample.
- Resembles: A flatbed scanner.
14. Bunsen Burner
- Use: For heating substances.
- Resembles: A gas stove burner.
15. Hot Plate
- Use: For heating solutions.
- Resembles: An electric skillet or frying pan.
16. Water Bath
- Use: For incubating samples in a temperature-controlled environment.
- Resembles: A slow cooker.
17. Autoclave
- Use: For sterilizing equipment.
- Resembles: An electric pressure cooker.
18. Incubator
- Use: For maintaining temperature and humidity for biological samples.
- Resembles: A small oven.
19. pH Meter
- Use: For measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.
- Resembles: A digital thermometer.
20. Digital Thermometer
- Use: For measuring temperature.
- Resembles: A meat thermometer.
21. Syringe
- Use: For measuring and transferring liquids.
- Resembles: An injector used for medication.
22. Ice Bath
- Use: For cooling reactions or samples rapidly.
- Resembles: A bowl of ice or an ice chest.
23. Thermocouple
- Use: For measuring temperature.
- Resembles: A digital thermometer for food.
24. Safety Goggles
- Use: To protect eyes during experiments.
- Resembles: Swimming goggles.
25. Lab Coat
- Use: To protect clothing and skin from chemicals.
- Resembles: A long-sleeve oversized shirt or chef's coat.
26. Gloves
- Use: To protect hands when handling chemicals.
- Resembles: Dishwashing or latex gloves.
27. Hot Gloves
- Use: For handling hot equipment or glassware.
- Resembles: Oven mitts.
28. Magnetic Stirrer
- Use: For stirring solutions using a magnetic bar.
- Resembles: An automatic coffee stirrer.
29. Vacuum Chamber
- Use: For removing air from samples.
- Resembles: A vacuum-sealing food storage bag.
30. Desiccator
- Use: For keeping samples dry.
- Resembles: A jar or container with a lid.
31. Reagent Bottles
- Use: To store chemical reagents.
- Resembles: A large glass storage jar.
32. Glass Rod
- Use: For stirring solutions and controlling reactions.
- Resembles: A long paddle or a coat hanger straightened out.
33. Safety Shower
- Use: For emergency decontamination.
- Resembles: A regular shower.
34. Eye Wash Station
- Use: For rinsing eyes if chemicals splash into them.
- Resembles: A small sink or a bathroom basin.
35. Spectrometer
- Use: For measuring the properties of light.
- Resembles: A complex camera or projector.
36. Laboratory Jack
- Use: For elevating apparatus during experiments.
- Resembles: A small car jack.
37. Chromatography Paper
- Use: For separating mixtures.
- Resembles: A large coffee filter.
38. Tongs
- Use: For handling hot glassware or equipment.
- Resembles: A pair of kitchen tongs.
39. Droppers
- Use: For dispensing liquids drop by drop.
- Resembles: A small squeeze bottle.
40. Light Microscope
- Use: For magnifying small objects.
- Resembles: A simple camera with a lens.
This list highlights the versatility of laboratory equipment as well as their functional similarities to common household or office items, aiding in visualization and understanding of their uses.