Test tube rack
A test tube rack is a stand with holes that holds test tubes upright.
What is it for?
It stops test tubes from rolling away or tipping over, so you can line up several experiments side by side.
How to use it
Slide each tube gently into a hole, with the open end pointing up.
🥽 Safety tip: Plastic racks can melt, so never put a very hot test tube into one.
Fun fact from Fizzy: Racks are made of wood, plastic or metal, and some can hold more than fifty tubes at once.
A closer look
A rack keeps your experiments in order. Scientists often put the tubes in a row, in the same order as their notes, so they can compare them side by side and spot which one changed colour first.
Some racks have a row of pegs along one side. Freshly washed test tubes are hung upside down on the pegs so the water can drain out and they can dry.
Where you would see one
Test tube racks are in school labs and hospital labs everywhere. Racks for hospital tubes are often colour-coded and fit inside machines that test many samples automatically, one after another.