Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments

Chapter 3: Equipping a Home Chemistry Laboratory 23

FIGURE 3-14: 10 mL and 100 mL graduated cylinders

ISvRSUSo E U.S. LABELING

Volumetric glassware made in the United States often uses

the traditional TC and TD markings. Other than products

intended for export to the United States, most volumetric

glassware made in Europe and Asia uses the ISO-standard

labeling of “IN” for To Contain and “EX” for To Deliver.

EvRHINGE yT yoU ALwAyS wANTEd To kNow

Volumetric Glassware .......................................................................................................................

One of our readers, Michael Dugan, has written an

excellent introduction to volumetric glassware.

To learn more about this subject, visit Mike’s website at

http://tinyurl.com/egkj8.

Burette volumetric flask

Nominal volumeClass A Class B Class A Class B

1 mLn/a n/a n/a n/a

5 mLn/a n/a n/a n/a

10 mL ±0.02 mL ±0.04 mL ±0.02 mL ±0.04 mL

25 mL ±0.03 mL ±0.06 mL ±0.03 mL ±0.06 mL

50 mL ±0.05 mL ±0.10 mL ±0.05 mL ±0.10 mL

100 mL ±0.10 mL ±0.20 mL ±0.08 mL ±0.16 mL

250 mLn/a n/a ±0.12 mL ±0.24 mL

500 mLn/a n/a ±0.20 mL ±0.40 mL

1000 mLn/a n/a ±0.30 mL ±0.60 mL

2000 mLn/a n/a ±0.50 mL ±1.00 mL

TABLE 3-1: Comparison of Class A and Class B tolerances for volumetric glassware TABLE 3-1 (continued): Comparison of Class A and Class B tolerances for volumetric glassware

use a graduated cylinder to measure liquids with moderate to

moderately high accuracy—from ±1% to ±0.2% of full capacity,

depending on the capacity and quality of the cylinder. Graduated

cylinders are made in glass and various plastics. Although they

are breakable and usually more expensive than similar plastic

models, I prefer glass cylinders because they are much more

resistant to organic solvents, oxidizers, and other chemicals, and

because they are much easier to keep clean. Figure 3-14 shows

typical 10 mL and 100 mL glass graduated cylinders.

Single-scale graduated cylinders are graduated from zero

at the bottom of the cylinder to the nominal capacity near

the top. Double-scale graduated cylinders have a second set