Beaker
A beaker is a wide glass cup with a flat bottom and a little spout for pouring.
What is it for?
Scientists use beakers to hold, mix and warm up liquids. The lines on the side give a rough idea of how much is inside.
How to use it
Hold it around the middle, not by the rim, and pour slowly from the spout so nothing splashes.
🥽 Safety tip: A hot beaker looks just like a cold one, so let it cool down and use tongs before you touch it.
Fun fact from Fizzy: The word beaker comes from an old word for a drinking cup.
A closer look
Most beakers are made of tough glass that can go from cold to hot without cracking, but plastic ones are handy for pouring cold liquids. They come in all sizes, from tiny ones that hold a spoonful to giant ones that hold several litres.
The lines on a beaker are only a rough guide, a bit like the marks on a measuring jug in the kitchen. When scientists need an exact amount, they pour it out with a measuring cylinder first and then tip it into the beaker.
Where you would see one
Beakers are probably the most common piece of glassware in any school lab. You will also spot them in hospitals, food factories and water-testing labs, anywhere people need to hold, mix or warm a liquid quickly.