What Is Science Laboratory Equipment?

In every science laboratory, you’ll find some basic equipment which will be used in day to day experimentation. This equipment helps in carrying out various tasks including measuring and other important procedures and hence they play a crucial role in experimentation. They are also pivotal in the following aspect that, their accuracy is very important in deducing various conclusions in a science laboratory. Following are a few types of scientific lab equipment which are used for various purposes. 

•    Beakers: Beakers are one of the most common components in a science laboratory. They act as a container for mixing or heating various components. They come in different sizes and depending upon the need, different beakers are used. They also come in various shapes where some specific beakers are used only in some special cases as when the shape of the beaker becomes crucial to carry out an experiment. 

•    The test tube is small glass tubes of which one end is closed and the other end is open. These test tubes are used for holding small samples of the chemicals and their mixtures. They are also used in heating various chemicals. 

•    Watch glasses are generally concave or convex in shape and they are used in holding a small amount of liquid. They are used for various purposes, for example, watch glass is used in evaporating substances. Watch glasses often act as a lid for the beakers from time to time. 

•    Droppers are used to pour a small amount of liquid or to squeeze out some amount of liquid. They are a narrow tube with tips at one end and a rubber bulb on the other end. Droppers are used extensively in chemical laboratories. 

•    Funnels come in various sizes. These are made from plastic though glass funnels are also not uncommon. They have a short or a long stem. The length of the stem is defined by on what purpose the funnel is used for. In some cases, funnels with a short stem are used and in some other cases, funnels with the long stem are used. 

•    Graduated cylinders are used to measure the volume of a liquid. There are various markings on the graduated cylinder. These markings follow an incremental pattern and thus, just watching the marking, it can be said about how much volume of the liquid is in that graduated cylinder.

•    Spatula: If you are testing with solid chemicals, then at one point or the other time, you need to scoop out a portion of the solid chemical. In order to scoop out a portion of the chemical, the Spatula is used. 

•    Bunsen burner is an apparatus which is used in the scientific laboratory equipment in order to heat objects. They are connected to inflammable sources by which they could work as a heating source for various chemicals. It is required to take utmost precaution when you are dealing with Bunsen burner. 

•    A laboratory thermometer is used to take the temperature of the liquid. There are different types of thermometers used in scientific laboratories. Some are made up of glass and some other are made up thermocouples.

Laminar Flow Hood -- An Air Flow In A Confined Space Whose Velocity And Direction Are Same.

A laminar flow hood is a closed clean bench which is used to regulate the filtered air from HEPA filter. These HEPA filters helps to remove small microscopic particles like aerosols and micro-organisms from air. These laminar flow hood are usually used where biological samples are being handled. It is even used while using sensitive materials, or semi-conductors. Mostly a clean bench has sample of exhibits which are sensitive to outside particles slung with the fact that the risk of contamination could probably be extremely dangerous and can destroy the sample working on.

·         Class I : These are similar to chemical fume hoods

·         Class II:  Hard ducted to the outside

·         Class III: TO be used when working on Human pathogens and other BSL-4 materials.

These laminar flow hoods are made up of stainless steel without any gaps or joints.

WORKING OF LAMINAR AIR FLOW HOOD

Laminar air flow hood works by using the in-flow laminar air. The concept is that the air in the portable laminar flow hoods is used via HEPA filters, which is so designed that it restricts the passage of particles as small as micro-organisms; thus, creating a particle free environment to work in for the laboratory personnel. After passing through HEPA filters it is circulated in the chamber i.e. the working area creating a particle free environment. A positive air pressure is maintained to avoid any back flow of the contaminated air from the room.

Usage of these laminar air flow hoods is maximum in research facilities where they need a dust free environment to work in. Even in CDC (Centre for Disease Control) and other such facilities these hoods are installed to maintain a sterilized environment. They are suitable for working areas which do not work with bio-hazards. The air flow of these cabinets is designed in such a way that while they give complete protection to the sample, it is not so with the user. The user is often exposed to contaminated air from the cabinets.  Various different types are available based on the nature of the work.

The efficiency of a laminar floe hood depends on a variety of reasons. The design, material used to create it, the comfort of usage is all important aspects of any laminar flow cabinet. These cabinets are available in various airflow setting configurations. Airflow that is passed through HEPA air filters can be either horizontally or vertically according to specific requirements. The primary purpose of these laminar flow cabinets is to prevent the sample or the exhibit that they are working on from external contamination. Wisely select your laminar flow hoods.

What is Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood? How does it work?

The Laminar Flow hoods are of two types, and these are horizontal laminar flow hood and vertical laminar flow hood. You can use them according to your needs, and there is no actual difference in the working of these both types of laminar flow hoods.

However, you need to know all the things that are associated with them, and we are here to discuss a little about the things that can help you to use the laminar flow hood to the extent. These hoods are used in the labs, and we are here to talk about the horizontal laminar flow hood. The working of the hood is really amazing, and you can get all the information in the section below.

What is Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood?

The laminar flow hood that is horizontal is in a horizontal shape, and it stands wide with all the same feature of the laminar flow hood. The thing works really great, and the thing it works for is to get the contaminant-free environment.

Well, this is not an unreal thing, and this is the actual use of these laminar flow hoods. You can get a particle free environment with the help of a laminar flow hood. This is the only use of the horizontal laminar flow hood. And the question arises why there is a need for a particle free environment? So, the answer is as follows –

Why there is a need for Particle Free Environment?

The particle free environment is really a great thing, and this is nothing less than a miracle. But you cannot be living in such a state, or you will get to see your death near. This is real, and it is true that the air around us is somehow not that good for it is not that good. You can get so many things done with the help of a particle-free nature.

So, if you are working in a lab or if some lab technician is working in the lab and the experiment needs such an environment that doesn't need any extra containment. There are many of them that cannot tolerate such a thing. So, what happens is that the laminar flow hood starts the filter and once the air is filtered out when the lab technician starts working on the project. In this way, a horizontal laminar flow hood works for you, and it is all you need. 

How laminar flow hood works?

The working principle of the laminar flow hood is really great, and if we talk about both the vertical and horizontal laminar flow hood, then the only difference is the different place for the hole. Otherwise, it works just the same, and it can help you a lot for real. The filter filters the air that doesn't let any extra particle enter through the nozzle, and it is all you need. This way it works out and helps you to get the particle-free nature for your labs.

How To Use Vacuum Desiccator Cabinets?

Desiccators are storage cabinets with dry atmosphere which contain desiccants in sealable enclosures in order to prevent moisture sensitive contents like cobalt, chloride paper for further use. It has great role in protecting those hygroscopic chemicals from humidity which reacts with water. 

In static desiccation system, there are various sizes that vary between an in-line cartridge sizes to a larger cabinet that may be nitrogen purged, or may contain a desiccant tray. Whenever the lids of the desiccators are opened, the contents inside are exposed to atmospheric moisture. Therefore, the chemicals like alkali metals, which react fast with atmospheric moisture, are not appropriate for storing. Instead, schlock-type apparatus or a glove box may be more suitable for such kind of storage.

In some cases, desiccators may even be used for removing moisture from an almost-dry sample. But when it is considered that desiccator cabinets alone will not be enough for the purpose, Abderhalden's drying pistol may be used in that case.

How vacuum desiccator works?

Desiccator cabinet works by preventing oxidation of MSD in the cabinet by controlling moisture. When a porous desiccant such as the silica gel is used by Dri-Box, it removes water from air space by multi layer absorption. The thin layers of the water molecule are attracted to the surface areas of the desiccant in that process.

It also works by the process of capillary condensation in which most of the smaller pores are filled with water.

The purpose of using the desiccator during the cooling of the crucible

In a desiccator, heated materials are cooled in order to prevent it from accumulating moistures while it gets cooled. The interior of the desiccator will remain dry as the desiccant is at the bottom, and the moisture in the atmosphere cannot enter the container as it is completely sealed.

Why are you to cool the crucible before it is weighed?

If you put the hot crucible for weighing its mass, the convection currents will start happening in the surrounding air around the crucible. That is why, whenever you need to weigh a crucible, you must let it cool first as the heat from the crucible warms the surrounding air and causes it to rise upward and then it cools down and falls.

The way of using desiccators in laboratory

Most of the laboratory desiccators are round in shape and made of heavy glass. It is usually placed on a removable platform so that it can be stored properly in a laboratory.  The desiccant, such as Silica Gel, fills the space under the platform. The color changing silica has a key role as an indicator whenever it would be refreshed. Whenever the indicator gel absorbs moisture it typically changes from blue to pink. The other colors may also be used here.

There may be a stopcock included for permitting the desiccator to be evacuated. These kinds of models are actually known as vacuum desiccator cabinet.

While applying the vacuum of a desiccator, it should be properly strapped in order to minimize the damage to the desiccator by a sudden implosion. Vacuum grease is applied here to achieve a good seal.

Everything that you need to know about Oxygen Monitor

It is just as the name suggests and you can get that idea that it helps to track your oxygen levels. Well, checking the oxygen levels or monitoring the oxygen in your body is a simple test which helps to get to know if everything's alright with you or not. If you ever feel like that you have a heart problem, then you can get some better oxygen monitors that can help you to keep a track on your fitness levels.
However, these oxygen monitors are really helpful, and if you are working out or anything, these monitors will tell all about your current health. So you need to be more health conscious, and it can be really helpful for you all. We are here to guide you all the way up to the top, and you will get to know some amazing things about the oxygen monitor. So let us get to it –

How does it work?

The clamp device needs a heartbeat so that it can let you know the oxygen levels. The oxygen is really important it travels through HB cells that help the oxygen to travel around the body. Well, the device is to be put on your finger, earlobe, or anything where you can get the proper working of the signals. So, this is all that you need, and it can help you to get so many things done. Look out for all these things before you choose up the best oxygen monitor for yourself.

Where to buy the best oxygen monitor?

There are a lot of oxygen monitors out there in the market, and if you go out, then you will get to see around thousand of oxygen monitors that you can choose. Anyways, you still need some marketing guide that can help you to buy the best in this world. So, all you need to do is to follow the below mentioned steps.

• You can check out the internet, and it will surely help you to get a hold onto some of the best oxygen monitors out there. You can check out some guides that can help you tell the features and how to spot a fake one. This is all you need before you get one for yourself.
• The internet can take a long time for you to choose if you don't know the technique. So, the thing is that you need to use up the best way to choose the best oxygen monitors by checking on the personal reviews. This is so cool, isn't it? But it is still all upto you as you want to use them but the personal reviews can help you to get a wider view of the scenario.
• The next thing is that your doctor can help you in the best way possible. Almost every doctor is the same, and all you need is the queries. This will surely help you to get a better oxygen monitor for your health.

What Are the Differences between Horizontal and Vertical Laminar Flow Hoods?

There are a lot of differences, and you will get to know that there is no difference in the first place. This is real, and almost everyone treats it as almost the same. There are many types of both the horizontal laminar flow hood and the Vertical laminar flow hood.

You should be smart enough to know all about them, and it can help you to get so many things done with real ease. We are here to guide you all the way, and we will discuss all about the things that you need to know. So let us get started.


What is a laminar flow hood used for?

This is the main question, and if you are a beginner, then you would be the one who is still wondering about this thing. So, a laminar flow hood is a filter actually that help to eliminate the entry of the bacteria or any of the other microorganism into the glass room.

These hoods can be vertical, and it can also be horizontal, and that is all upto your needs. Some people prefer the use of a vertical laminar flow hood, and some prefer using a horizontal laminar flow hood. But there are a lot of differences in it, and you can get to know all about them in the section below.

What are the Differences between them?

Well, if you talk about the differences, then there are a lot of them. These differences play the main role in choosing up the desired one, and there are many benefits that you can get from a single type of laminar flow hood, and it is all upto your deeds.

Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood

The Air in the Horizontal laminar flow hood is flowing horizontally, and it passes through a filter before it gets into the room. There is a pre-filter that filters the air before it gets into the laminar flow hood and it is really a great thing. This is only because of the sole purpose of using the laminar flow hood for a better and cleaner environment.

There is a HEPA filter that is joined along the pre-filter, and this is where it provides all the necessary things. It helps deep cleaning of the air, and then it gets to enter into the glass room. The Horizontal laminar flow hood helps to clear upto 97% of the unwanted bacteria, and that is a really good number.

Vertical Laminar Flow Hood

The Vertical Laminar flow hood is much expensive than the other laminar hoods. The reason behind that is that the vertical laminar flow hood helps to clear upto 99.97% of the unwanted bacteria in the glass and the experiment room. So, there is a pre-filter that is attached to the HEPA filter that again blows the air on the work surface. Unlike horizontal laminar flow hood, this type has the blower on the top in which the air flows everywhere.