Basic chemistry lab setup

Below are the most common chemical grades ranked from highest purity to lowest. Remember too that for many chemicals, you can purchase higher concentrates and dilute them with distilled water to create the appropriately concentrated solution. However, higher-concentrate chemicals are often more dangerous to store and work with.

Chemicals are typically separated by category: flammable, oxidizer, corrosive acids and bases , reactivity, toxicity, and low hazard. Separating chemicals by category lets you store each type together with other chemicals of that same type and keep incompatible chemicals separated.

For instance, flammable chemicals can be stored together in a flammable cabinet and kept separate from oxidizers which could easily cause them to ignite. Corrosive materials are stored separately and in appropriate containers while toxic chemicals are stored and labeled indicating their danger.

For instance, chemicals in the oxidizer category yellow label can be stored between acids and bases. Chemicals in the flammable category can be stored between general chemicals and poisonous chemicals. Below are the most common color codes used to identify chemicals by their type. You should purchase colored labels or Hazard Diamonds and label each chemical in your lab accordingly.

Then store each chemical by color while paying attention to the many exceptions to the rule. May be harmful to eyes, mucous membranes and skin.

Store separate from combustible and flammable chemicals. May react violently with water, air or other chemicals. Store separate from combustible and flammable reagents. Chemical is hazardous to health if ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Store separately in a secure area. Isolate inorganics from organics using tubs. Store in flame resistant cabinet. Examples include: organics Xylenes, ethers, alcohols, halogenated hydrocarbons some , ketones, acetic acid; inorganics potassium sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon , aluminum metal, powdered metals, magnesium, calcium.

Isolate from other flammables as they react with each other. Separate inorganics from organics. Examples include: organics acetaldehyde, phenol, acetic anhydride, acetyl chloride, benzene; inorganics sodium sulfide, potassium lump, phosphorus , iron powder, zinc, sodium lump, copper powder. Isolate inorganics from organics. Segregate from other chemicals on separate shelf.

Examples include: organics m-chloroperbenzoic acid; inorganics silver nitrate, lead nitrate, aluminum chloride, ammonium dichromate ammonium nitrate needs to be stored separate from all chemicals. Isolate from other reactives as they react with each other. Examples include: organics none; inorganics peroxide, periodic acid, mercuric nitrate, iodine monochloride, bromine. Separate organics from inorganics. Separate acids preferably in an acid cabinet from bases preferably in a corrosive cabinet.

Separate from other corrosive chemicals as they react together. Examples include: organics bases: trifluoroacetic anhydride, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, sebacoyl chloride; acids: lactic acid, chlorosulfonic acid; inorganics bases: potassium hydroxide, phosphorus oxychloride, lye, ascarite II, ammonium hydroxide; acids: none.

Separate from other chemicals on separate shelf or cabinet. A locked cabinet is preferred. These chemicals have slight or no hazards associated with them.

Examples include: organics sorbic acid, stearic acid, succinic anhydride; inorganics sodium thiocyanate, stannous chloride, nickel, manganese oxide, calcium carbonate.

Peroxides are particularly unstable and therefore, the most hazardous substances found in a lab. Peroxide-forming chemicals, called peroxide formers, are chemicals that react with air or impurities to form peroxides.

Organic peroxides are sensitive to sparks, heat, shock, and light. Some organics are even more sensitive than TNT. You must be logged in to post a comment. Skip to content. Science Resources. By Reeko Oct 7, chemistry , laboratory , safety. How about a list of chemicals, formulas, safety codes, and where to find chems close to home!

By Reeko. Jun 3, Reeko. Oct 6, Reeko. Apr 1, Reeko. Leave a Reply Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. You missed. Jun 8, Reeko. Animal Kingdom. Note: No experiments are involved.

On Chemistry: Chemistry is a fascinating and beautiful subject. It is also very complex and the source of many headaches. The fact that you are reading this demonstrates you harbor a certain curiosity for it already.

Or maybe you've randomly stumbled into this instructable by fate In any case, the first step to starting your lab at home is planting the seed of curiosity for the subject. Get to know the subject at the level you want by visiting your library or through online research.

Curiosity is like a fire- it will die if not sustained. In order to keep that desire for knowledge kindled, you must constantly ask yourself questions, such as "what is an acid? More rigorous questions in the area of chemistry are of the form : "Can I make X compound from household items? Will X react with Y to form Z? Can I purify this compound? Can I find if this household product contains X compound? If you want a great foundation for the science, there are a variety of resources out there.

Did you know you can take a course at MIT for free? Setting Your Goals: I hope that people of all backgrounds will read this instructable. With people from all levels of knowledge on the subject, it is up to you to decide where you want to take this. Some examples of great goals are as follows: - I want to teach myself chemistry and I will take up home chemistry as a supplemental learning tool.

Once you come up with your own goal, it's time to start on a scientific journey. Look for these easily accessible items: -glass jars -glass bottles -glass vase -metal or plastic tubes i.

Of course, this is not a complete list of things you will end up needing, only some essential ones. Organization is crucial in a laboratory. A good way to store utensils is to separate them into materials, i.

The more meticulous one is, the easier it will become to locate needed materials for a procedure. Safety First! Do not drink or eat during a procedure. Use closed toe shoes no sandals. Also, experiments producing gas should be done outside or under a ventilation directing device.

Remember that a safety shower and wash station is readily available in the home in the form of a shower, sink, or hose. When diluting an acid, pour the acid into water or base. A video introduction on acids and bases 30 min. Waste: The lab must be meticulously clean while not in use. There must be two separate waste receptacles: one plastic pail for hazardous waste i.

For hazardous chemicals, methods of disposing are usually on the labels of bottles. If in doubt, do some research on local recycling and collecting centers. Labeling: Make sure to always label chemicals stored in vials correctly. A rigorous approach would require that molar concentrations and safety information also be labeled. Also label storage compartments with their contents see picture. These compartments would vary depending on the scope of each lab, though a good rule is to store tools and spare parts separately.

Environment: It is always a good idea to build your lab near a window or well ventilated area. Make sure that you save space by using organizers as depicted in my mini lab setup. Good lighting is important when carrying out experiments.

It's also a good idea to have a designated area outside of your house for experiments which may require it. Always know what you are doing in an experiment, as it may not be stated explicitly that gas products may form.

Lab Aesthetics: A poorly conceived lab will just look like clutter. It is important to make it stand out - it will add a very nice vibe to your house. You should store large containers out of sight and only have a few chemicals on display. Also an eye-catcher is clean and shiny equipment. Have your favorite flask out. Take Pride in your work. How many people have the opportunity to have a lab in their house?

Quality depends on its makeup- borosilicate glass being the most widely used in labs. Only certain types of glass should be used for heating. If you bought lab-grade glass, then you should have no problem heating it.

However, it is often difficult to determine the makeup of standard glass used in bottles and jars. Normally, the bottles you've recycled should be safe to carry out most reactions. One instance where glass may not be the best option is when sodium hydroxide is involved. This slowly reacts with glass, so be wary of the instructions in such cases. In cases where glass is reactive, teflon or other plastic containers are used.

Recycled: I use spice vials, jars, and some bottles to store different chemicals and sometimes use them as reaction flasks. New: I found flasks with corks at the Michael's arts and crafts store for 99 cents.

I've boiled substances in these over my alcohol burner and heated sulfuric acid in them - with no breakage. You will learn about:. The first and foremost rule of any laboratory is to be safe!

This may seem obvious, but people often disregard safety protocols for one reason or another, putting themselves and those around them in danger. The best thing you can do is to make sure you follow all safety protocols at all times.

Safety goggles are required wear in all chemistry labs. Not wearing them puts you in danger of eye irritation and possibly blindness in the case of an accident. A small droplet of acid could splash out of the container at any time.

Better safe than permanently blinded! Latex gloves should be used when there is a possibility of corrosive chemicals spilling onto your hands. A beaker is a common container in most labs. It is used for mixing, stirring, and heating chemicals. Most beakers have spouts on their rims to aid in pouring. They also commonly have lips around their rims and markings to measure the volume they contain, although they are not a precise way to measure liquids. Beakers come in a wide range of sizes.

Because of the lip that runs around the rim, a lid for a beaker does not exist. However, a watch glass discussed below can be used to cover the opening to prevent contamination or splashing. Also known as a conical flask, the Erlenmeyer flask was named after its inventor in It has a narrow neck and expands toward its base. This allows easy mixing and swirling of the flask without too much risk of spilling.

The narrow opening also allows for the use of a rubber or glass stopper. It can easily be clamped to a ring stand discussed below as well as heated or shaken mechanically. An important safety tip here is to never heat this flask while it is capped.

This could cause a pressure build-up that could result in explosion. Also known as a boiling flask, the Florence flask has a round bottom and a long neck. It is used to hold liquids and can be easily swirled and heated. It can also easily be capped by rubber or glass stoppers. Once again, safety dictates that this flask never be heated when capped. Pressure build-up and explosions can and do occur. A test tube is a glass tube with one end open and the other end closed.

The closed end is rounded. Test tubes are used to hold small samples. They are primarily used for qualitative assessment and comparison. A common place to see these is the biochemistry lab. When a large number of samples need to be tested and compared, test tubes are used to make this easier. They are also easily capped with a rubber or glass stopper.

They are generally held in a test tube rack specifically designed for the purpose. If the test tubes become unsafe to touch with bare hands whether due to heat or another reason , test-tube tongs can be used to move them.

It can hold a small amount of liquid or solid. They can be used for evaporation purposes and also can function as a lid for a beaker. A crucible is a small clay cup made of a material that can withstand extreme temperatures. They are used for heating substances and come with lids. A lab funnel is just like any other funnel except that it was designed to be used in a laboratory setting. They can be made of plastic or glass and can have either a short stem or a long stem, depending on what they are needed for.

There are several sizes that can be chosen from based on the amount of liquid that needs to go through them quickly. This is a primary measuring tool for the volume of a liquid.