Cool Chemistry

The beakers and flasks we use in chemistry always look so… cool! But they have those shapes for a reason.

The tall cylinders have markings to measure exact amounts of liquid.

The triangle-shaped flask allows you to hold the top and swirl the liquids together without spilling them out the top.

Beakers, with their straight sides and pour spouts, are best for mixing chemicals with a glass stirring rod.   Their open cup shape is good for holding a chemical reaction.

Here’s an experiment using a flask and beaker.  It shows how color can change as the chemicals react with each other over several minutes. Watch how the flask is swirled each time to mix the chemicals.

In later posts, we’ll talk more about using these and even where you can get them for your own lab!