Laboratory Apparatus & Techniques

This picture shows just some of the many pieces of equipment used in laboratories.

Laboratories provide a safe environment to conduct scientific experiments and tests. The results of these tests and experiments would not be possible without all of the apparatus used by laboratory technicians. While some of the apparatus are quite simple (e.g., test tube holders), others are extremely complex (e.g., centrifuges).

Microscopes

Microscopes are devices that magnify any substance such as blood, water, or a small piece of cloth. To use one, a lab technician puts whatever he wants to look at on a small plastic or glass slide. The slide is placed under the microscope lens, the technician looks through an eyepiece, and the technician uses dials on the microscope to adjust the magnification level and focus the image. Some microscopes have lights that help make the image easier to see. These have been standard in laboratories for decades because they allow technicians to see items (e.g., bacteria) that normally are too small for people to notice.

Heaters and Coolers

For some experiments and tests, the technician needs to be able to adjust temperature. One standard apparatus for this is the hot plate or Bunsen burner. This device is simply plugged into an electrical outlet; the electricity warms the plate/burner and the technician can heat whatever he wishes that fits on the plate. If the technician needs to cool a sample down or to preserve it, the technician places the sample into a refrigerator or freezer.

Centrifuges

A centrifuge is a machine that spins rapidly around a main center. The force exerted by the spinning causes parts of whatever substance is put into the centrifuge to separate for further analysis or experimentation. A modern application of the centrifuge machine is DNA testing--the force of the centrifuge causes the DNA to be extracted from the cell. It also can be used to separate blood cells.

Balances

Balances, or scales, are used to weigh substances in the lab. Knowing the exact amount of a substance is incredibly important in science because it drastically can impact the results of an experiment. Most balances and scales now are digitally operated, which means that they are extremely precise, but old fashioned models that use pelleted or shaped weight sets still are used.

Baths

Laboratory baths are structures designed to soak a substance in another substance. Often they are used for washing, but sometimes the baths are used to chemically produce structural, color, or scent changes. One application of a laboratory bath is the placement of bones into the bath structure. The bath cleans the bones so that bone experts can examine them and get clues about the deceased animal or person and figure out what might have caused death. Other baths can chemically raise etchings in metal that someone has tried to destroy, which can be helpful in identifying things like guns and vehicles.

Standard Techniques

Although each apparatus in a laboratory has its own methods of use, standard technique for use of any laboratory apparatus usually involves the wearing of gloves and protective eyewear. Wearing face masks also is common. These precautions help prevent infections, burns, and cuts. It also is standard procedure to wash one's hands before and after using equipment and handling samples to prevent contamination. Most laboratories have a very strict logging procedure policy for all equipment and samples so that they know exactly what and when each apparatus and sample was handled and by whom. In the event that contamination does occur, or in the instance something goes wrong with the apparatus, the log helps to identify how the contamination occured and who is responsible.

References

• Laboratory Equipment
• Centrifuge