Chemistry Basics - Essential Lab Skills & Measurements
Your success in chemistry starts with mastering the basic tools and measurement techniques. Lab equipment like beakers, test tubes, and graduated cylinders each have specific purposes - beakers for mixing, test tubes for small reactions, and graduated cylinders for precise volume measurements.
Measuring accurately is crucial for getting reliable results. Always read measurements at eye level and look at the meniscus (the curved surface) when using graduated cylinders. The golden rule? Always estimate one decimal place beyond what the measuring tool shows - so if your ruler shows tenths, record to the hundredths place.
Density calculations are everywhere in chemistry, and the formula is simple: density = mass/volume. Remember that mL and cm³ are interchangeable for volume, and density is typically expressed in g/mL or g/cm³. If you need to find mass or volume instead, just cross multiply to rearrange the formula.
Quick Tip: When converting units, moving left to right on the metric scale (like grams to milligrams) makes your number bigger, whilst moving right to left makes it smaller.