Glassware
Glassware Overview
Glassware is essential for carrying out practical chemistry. Teaching labs has a wide variety of glassware available that covers not only the basics, but many specialist techniques. Glassware isn't always cheap so we ask that you look after what you are using and take care to avoid breakages. However, we understand that accidents happen and the technical team will be happy to replace glassware at the hatch should you need to.
For most practicals you will be working individually with your own set of glassware, however, there are a few exceptions where you may be asked to work in pairs. During years 1 and 2 of your degree, the glassware that you need for your experiment will be provided in a tray in your fume hood by the technicians before the lab day begins. You are free to move this tray and its contents around to allow space for your practical work, but we ask that you return it clean and with all of its contents at the end of the day.
The glassware tray that you are provided with will be one of three options, as detailed below:
Synthesis Trays
Blue glassware trays contain everything you need to carry out a synthetic experiment:
2 × 100 ml beakers
250 ml beaker
3 × 100 ml conical flasks
10 ml measuring cylinder
25 ml measuring cylinder
250 ml buchner flask
Buchner ring
Sinter funnel
Glass funnel
250 ml separating funnel
100 ml round bottom flask (B19 neck)
B19 glass stopper
Large spatula
Small spatula
Watch Glass
Petri dish and lid
Small cork ring
Volumetric Trays
Yellow glassware trays contain everything you need to make volumetric solutions for chemical analysis:
50 ml beaker
100 ml beaker
100 ml conical flask
100 ml volumetric flask
2 × 50 ml volumetric flasks
3 × 25 ml volumetric flasks
4 × 10 ml volumetric flasks
1 ml graduated pipette
5 ml graduated pipette
10 ml graduated pipette
Large spatula
Glass funnel
8 × cuvettes
Cuvette holder
Experiment Specific Trays
A few experiments have their own specialist glassware trays, as the equipment needed is not standard. Some examples of glassware could be:
Distillation glassware
Soxhlet extractor and thimble
Coil condenser
Re-usable needles or transfer cannulas
Smaller or larger general glassware, e.g. round bottom flasks
For students who carry out third year projects in teaching labs, the range of equipment required can be much greater than for taught practicals. These students have access to a drawer of glassware labelled corresponding to the fume hood position marker and equipment locker. There are a greater range of options in this drawer, but additional glassware may still be requested from the technical team if required.