BeakerA straight-sided cup with a spout that holds, mixes and heats liquids.
CondenserA cooled tube that turns a vapor back into a liquid, as in distillation.
DropperA narrow tube with a rubber bulb that moves a small amount of liquid.
Erlenmeyer flaskA cone-shaped flask whose narrow neck lets you mix by swirling without a spill.
Florence flaskA round-bodied flask with a long neck, shaped for even heating and boiling.
FunnelWide at the top and narrow at the bottom, it guides a liquid or powder into a small opening.
Reagent bottleA bottle with a cap or stopper that stores a chemical as a liquid or a powder.
Separatory funnelA funnel with a valve that separates two liquids that do not mix. The denser one drains first.
Stirring rodA solid glass rod with rounded ends, used to stir and mix chemicals.
Test tubeA finger-shaped tube, closed at the bottom, that holds and mixes liquids.
Wash bottleA squeeze bottle whose nozzle sends out a narrow stream to rinse glassware.
Watch glassA round, curved piece of glass that holds a solid for weighing or covers a beaker.
Show all 58 cards (46 more)
Measuring 12
BalanceAn instrument that measures the mass of an object.
BuretteA long marked tube with a tap at the bottom that delivers a known volume of liquid.
Graduated cylinderA tall, narrow cylinder with marked lines that measures the volume of a liquid.
Litmus paperPaper with a dye in it: blue litmus turns red in an acid, red litmus turns blue in a base.
Meter stickA long straightedge with a scale, used to measure length.
pH meterAn instrument that reads the pH of a water-based solution: how acidic or alkaline it is.
PipetteA slim tube that draws up a measured volume of liquid and carries it to another container.
Pipette bulbA rubber bulb that draws liquid up into a pipette.
Spring scaleA spring with a hook at one end. How far it stretches shows a force or a weight.
StopwatchA timepiece that measures how long something takes, from pressing start to pressing stop.
ThermometerA device that measures temperature: how hot or cold something is.
Volumetric flaskA flask with one ring on its neck: filled to the ring, it holds a precise volume.
Heating 12
Beaker tongsTongs made for picking up a beaker.
Boiling chipsTiny rough pieces added to a liquid so that it boils smoothly instead of bumping.
Bunsen burnerA gas burner that gives a single open flame for heating.
Clay triangleA wire triangle covered in clay tubes that holds a crucible over a flame.
CrucibleA small container that holds a chemical while it is heated to a very high temperature.
Crucible tongsScissor-like tongs whose arms curve at the ends to grip a hot crucible.
Evaporating dishA dish in which a liquid is heated until it evaporates, leaving a solid or a stronger solution.
Hot plateA flat heated surface, run by electricity, that heats glassware and what is in it.
StrikerA hand tool used to light a Bunsen burner.
Test tube holderA holder that grips one test tube while it is hot or being heated.
TripodA three-legged stand that holds wire gauze or a clay triangle above a burner.
Wire gauzeA metal mesh set between burner and glassware. It holds the glassware and spreads the heat.
Stands, clamps and tools 12
Clamp holderThe fitting that fixes a clamp to the rod of a ring stand, at any height.
Filter paperPaper that lets a liquid pass and holds back fine solid particles.
ForcepsA hinged hand tool for picking up or holding objects too small for fingers.
Iron ringA metal ring fixed to a ring stand that holds a funnel or supports a beaker.
Magnifying glassA convex lens, usually in a frame with a handle, that gives a magnified image.
Mortar and pestleA bowl and a blunt club used together to crush and grind a solid into powder.
Ring standA heavy base with an upright rod, to which rings and clamps are fixed.
Rubber stopperA rubber plug that fits tightly in the opening of a flask or test tube so nothing leaks.
SpatulaA small steel blade for scraping up and transferring a powder or other solid.
Test tube brushA brush on a wire handle for cleaning test tubes and other narrow glassware.
Test tube rackA rack that holds several test tubes upright at one time.
Utility clampA clamp that secures glassware, such as a flask, to a ring stand.
Microscope and safety 10
Cover slipA smaller, thinner piece of glass laid over the specimen to keep it flat and in place.
Eyewash stationA station that flushes the eyes with water if a chemical gets into them.
Fire extinguisherA handheld device filled with an agent that puts out or controls a small fire.
Fume hoodA ventilated enclosure with a sliding window that keeps hazardous fumes from the user.
Lab coatA knee-length coat worn for laboratory work that protects the clothes underneath.
MicroscopeAn instrument for looking at objects too small to be seen with the naked eye.
Microscope slideA thin, flat piece of glass that holds an object for viewing under a microscope.
Petri dishA shallow, clear dish with a lid that holds a growth medium for culturing cells.
Safety gogglesEyewear that encloses the area around the eyes to keep chemicals and particles out.
Safety showerA shower made to wash the head and body after contact with a hazardous chemical.
How this list was compiled: Own work: 58 pieces of school laboratory equipment, each with its use in a few words and one sentence written for this page. Names and uses were read on 2026-10-16, for facts only, in two places. (1) The table Basic Laboratory Glassware and Equipment in Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary Schools (American Chemical Society, Committee on Chemical Safety, 2016), read in the Internet Archive copy at https://web.archive.org/web/20231226080146/https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/about/governance/committees/chemicalsafety/publications/acs-secondary-safety-guidelines.pdf ; it gives the use of 30 of these pieces, the striker, the pipette bulb and the beaker tongs among them. (2) The English Wikipedia article on each piece that has one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaker_%28laboratory_equipment%29 and the article of each other name. Where the title differs, Condenser is in Condenser (laboratory), Stirring rod in Glass rod, Dropper in Eye dropper, Balance in Weighing scale, Meter stick in Metre-stick, Litmus paper in Litmus, Clay triangle in Pipeclay triangle, Beaker tongs in Tongs, Boiling chips in Boiling chip, Rubber stopper in Laboratory rubber stopper, Safety goggles in Goggles and Lab coat in White coat; the ring stand, the iron ring, the utility clamp and the clamp holder are in Clamp stand (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clamp_stand), the cover slip in Microscope slide, and the eyewash station and safety shower in Emergency eyewash and safety shower station. The tripod is described from the articles on wire gauze and the pipeclay triangle, which both rest on one. The cards describe equipment. They are not safety instructions: follow your own school's lab rules. Licence: own work
How it works
Lab equipment flashcards for a science class: 58 pieces, each with its use in a few words and one plain sentence behind it. The cards are words on both sides, with no pictures, and the page opens on glassware.
Read the full guide
Five sets, from glassware to safety gear
Glassware holds the beaker, two flasks, the test tube and two funnels. Measuring runs from the graduated cylinder and burette to the balance and pH meter. Heating has the Bunsen burner, crucible, wire gauze and both kinds of tongs. Stands, clamps and tools covers the ring stand and what fastens to it. Microscope and safety has the slide, goggles and the fume hood.
One set, one sheet
Turn a card and the print button comes up under it: 12 cards to a sheet of Letter or A4. A set fits one sheet and all 58 take five. Printed on both sides and flipped on the long edge, measures mass lands behind Balance.
Three flasks, three jobs: the Erlenmeyer swirls, the Florence boils, the volumetric holds one exact volume.
Crucible tongs and beaker tongs are two tools. The first grips a hot crucible and the second picks up a beaker.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between a beaker and a flask?
A beaker has straight sides, a flat bottom and usually a spout. A flask has sloping sides that narrow to a neck, which is why an Erlenmeyer flask can be swirled without a spill.
What lab equipment is used to measure volume?
A graduated cylinder measures the volume of a liquid. A volumetric flask holds one precise volume, and a burette or a pipette delivers a measured volume. The marks on a beaker give an estimate only.
What lab equipment is used for heating?
A Bunsen burner gives a single open gas flame, and a hot plate heats glassware on a flat surface. Wire gauze, a clay triangle, a crucible and tongs are used with them.