Safety First!
A science lab is an exciting place, but it can also be dangerous if you're not careful. The most important rule in any lab is safety first. Following safety procedures protects you, your classmates, and your teacher from accidents.
Fundamental Lab Safety Rules
1.Always follow instructions. Never perform an experiment without your teacher's permission.
2.Wear safety goggles. Your eyes are precious and vulnerable. Goggles must be worn whenever you are working with chemicals, heat, or glassware.
3.Know the location of safety equipment. You should know where to find the fire extinguisher, fire blanket, eyewash station, and first-aid kit.
4.No eating or drinking in the lab. Chemicals could splash into your food or drink.
5.Handle chemicals with care. Never taste or directly smell chemicals. To smell a chemical safely, you should waft it by holding it away from your face and waving the vapor toward your nose.
6.Report all accidents. No matter how small, tell your teacher immediately.
7.Clean up your workspace. At the end of an experiment, make sure your area is clean, and you have disposed of waste properly.
8.Tie back long hair and secure loose clothing. These can catch fire or get caught in equipment.
Common Laboratory Equipment
Here are some of the tools you'll use most often:
Beaker: A wide, cylindrical glass container with a pouring lip, used for holding, mixing, and heating liquids. Its volume markings are approximate.
Graduated Cylinder: A tall, cylindrical container used to measure the volume of liquids accurately. You read the volume from the bottom of the meniscus (the curve in the liquid's surface).
Erlenmeyer Flask: A cone-shaped container with a narrow neck. It's good for swirling liquids without splashing and can be stoppered for storage.
Test Tube: A thin glass tube used to hold, mix, or heat small amounts of substances.
Bunsen Burner: A gas burner used for heating, sterilization, and combustion.
Balance (Electronic or Triple-Beam): An instrument used to measure mass very accurately.
Pipette: A tool used to transport a measured volume of liquid.
Understanding Hazard Symbols
Chemicals are labeled with symbols to quickly tell you about their potential dangers. These are often part of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) or similar systems from organizations like OSHA.
Common symbols include:
Skull and Crossbones: Acute toxicity (can cause death or toxicity with short exposure).
Flame: Flammable (will catch fire).
Flame Over Circle: Oxidizer (can cause or intensify a fire).
Exploding Bomb: Explosive or self-reactive.
Corrosion: Corrosive (can burn skin/eyes or eat through metals).
Gas Cylinder: Gas under pressure.
Health Hazard: May cause or be suspected of causing serious health effects (e.g., carcinogen).
Exclamation Mark: Irritant (to skin and eyes), skin sensitizer, or acutely toxic (harmful).