Contents
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’S)
- Q1. How should a graduated cylinder be read?
- Q2. How accurate is a graded cylinder?
- Q3. Can graduated cylinders be used for any liquid volume?
- Q4. What is the purpose of a burette’s stopcock?
- Q5. A burette can be used to measure any liquid.
- Q6. During a titration, how do you read the volume in a burette?
Graduated cylinders and burettes are both forms of scientific glassware used to accurately measure liquid quantities. They do, however, have various designs and serve slightly different functions. Scientific experiments employ graduated cylinders and burettes, two types of laboratory glassware, to measure volumes precisely.
A graduated cylinder is an object of laboratory glassware that is used for precisely determining the volume of a liquid. Graduated cylinders are tall, narrow containers that are used in labs to measure liquid volumes with a fair amount of accuracy. Typically, they have a flat base, a pouring spout, and a cylindrical shape. The fact that they have marked volume measurements along the side, which let users know how much liquid is inside, is what gives them their “graduated” appearance. Often, these measurements are expressed in cubic centimeters (cm3) or milliliters (mL).
A burette, on the other hand, is a piece of laboratory glassware used in analytical chemistry to dispense and precisely quantify a known volume of liquid. It is made out of a long, graded tube with a stopcock (a valve) at the bottom. The burette is usually hung vertically, with the open end at the top. They are frequently employed in titration investigations, in which the concentration of one solution is ascertained by carefully measuring its volume and reacting it with another. Titration tests frequently employ burettes. Titration involves gently adding an established concentration solution (titrant) to an unidentified concentration solution (analyte) until a chemical reaction is complete. The burette is used to measure the volume of titrant added, and this data is utilized to calculate the analyte concentration.
S.No. |
Aspects |
Graduated Cylinders |
Burettes |
1 |
Intended use |
General volume |
Precise volume measurement |
2 |
Measurement precision |
Less precise |
More precise |
3 |
Graduations |
Marked at intervals |
Marked at smaller intervals |
4 |
Reading technique |
Read at the bottom |
Read at the meniscus |
5 |
Capacity |
Higher capacity |
Lower capacity |
6 |
Tapered tip |
Often lacks a tapered tip |
Always has a tapered tip |
7 |
Control of liquid flow |
Less control |
Precise control |
8 |
Graduation marks |
Vertical markings |
Horizontal markings |
9 |
Material |
Glass or plastic |
Usually glass |
10 |
Presence of stopcock |
No stopcock |
Equipped with a stopcock |
11 |
Common usage |
Basic laboratory tasks |
Titration and analysis |
12 |
Cost |
Generally cheaper |
Often more expensive |
13 |
Durability |
More susceptible to breakage |
Relatively more durable |
14 |
Cleaning |
Relatively easy to clean |
Requires careful cleaning |
15 |
Accuracy |
Lower accuracy |
Higher accuracy |
16 |
Visibility |
Volume less visible |
Volume more visible |
17 |
Use with corrosive substances |
Not recommended |
Suitable for corrosive substances |
18 |
Types available |
Fewer variations |
More specialized variations |
19 |
Meniscus effect |
Less noticeable |
More pronounced |
20 |
Inclusion of valves |
Not present |
May have self-closing valves |
21 |
Typical volume range |
Wide range of volumes |
Narrow range of volumes |
22 |
Versatility |
Relatively less versatile |
More versatile |
23 |
Calibration |
May require frequent calibration |
Requires regular calibration |
24 |
Sample handling |
Easier to pour and handle |
Requires careful handling |
25 |
Typical experiments |
Simple measuring tasks |
Complex analytical tasks |
26 |
Use in medical settings |
Less common |
More common |
27 |
Error sources |
More sources of error |
Fewer sources of error |