The Laboratory
A laboratory is a special room where scientists carry out experiments and research, and where chemicals and equipment are stored. Scientists work in a systematic way known as the scientific method — an orderly approach to investigating questions raised by things we observe in nature.
Steps of the Scientific Method
- Observation: using the five senses — sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch — to notice things around us.
- Hypothesis: after making an observation, a question is raised and a proposed answer — the hypothesis — is suggested. It may turn out right or wrong, and must be tested by experimentation.
- Experimentation: a set of experiments carried out to check how valid the hypothesis is. A valid experiment gives the same result wherever it is repeated; if the results don’t support the hypothesis, the hypothesis is discarded and a new one is proposed.
- Theory: a valid, well-supported experiment leads to a theory. A good theory can predict and forecast outcomes.
A properly reported experiment includes: the date, the aim (why it was carried out), the requirements (equipment and chemicals needed), the procedure, the observations, the results, and a conclusion.
Laboratory Safety Rules
- Never eat, drink or taste anything in the laboratory, and never play around.
- Don’t carry out any experiment without your teacher’s knowledge.
- Never return unused chemicals to their original reagent bottles, and never swap the stopper from one bottle to another.
- Always wear a laboratory coat, and report any accident immediately.
- Wash off any chemical spills with plenty of water, and follow experimental instructions carefully — always add chemicals to water, never water to chemicals.
- Never point a test tube at anyone or look directly into one containing chemicals; waft the fumes toward you gently to smell a gas instead of inhaling directly.
- Clean all surfaces and return equipment to its correct place after use, and dispose of solid waste in the appropriate bin.
Hazard Symbols
Hazard symbols are warning signs printed on chemical bottles and laboratory equipment to show what kind of danger the contents pose — for example flammable, toxic, corrosive, or irritant. Always read a chemical bottle’s hazard label carefully before using its contents.
