A7LAM CSCA ACADEMYCSCA Academy / Chemistry / Experiments and applications
CSCA Chemistry · Lesson 18 of 21Laboratory safety and equipment
Sécurité et matériel de laboratoire · السلامة والأدوات في المختبر
▶ Watch the video lesson (A7LAM students)
CSCA asks practical questions: which instrument to use, how to read it, and what to do to stay safe.
Key ideas
- Dilute concentrated H₂SO₄ by pouring the acid slowly into water while stirring, never the reverse.
- Heat test tubes at an angle, pointing away from people; heat beakers and flasks on a wire gauze.
- A burette reads to 0.01 mL, a measuring cylinder to 0.1 mL; keep your eye level with the meniscus.
- Acid on the skin: rinse with plenty of water, then with dilute NaHCO₃ solution.
Formulas to know
- Volumetric flask: solutions of exact concentration
- Burette: titrations, read to 0.01 mL
- School balance: read to 0.1 g
Worked example
How should you dilute concentrated sulfuric acid?
- Danger: mixing releases a lot of heat; water on acid can boil and spit
- Method: pour the acid slowly into the water, stirring with a glass rod
- Never: never pour water into concentrated acid
Answer: Acid into water, slowly, while stirring
Practice questions
1. Which can be heated directly over a flame?
Beaker · Test tube ✓ · Volumetric flask · Measuring cylinder
Beakers need a gauze; flasks and cylinders are never heated.
2. Which instrument reads volume to 0.01 mL?
Measuring cylinder · Beaker · Burette ✓ · Conical flask
Used in titrations.
3. Spilt alcohol catches fire on the bench. First action?
Pour water on it · Cover it with a damp cloth ✓ · Blow on it · Fan it
Cut off the air.