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320px Biochemistry laboratory at the University of Cologne.
A laboratory (often abbreviated lab) is a place where scientific research and experiments are conducted.
The equipment in a laboratory will depend on what the lab is used for. Chemistry and biochemistry laboratories will have a lot of glassware and dry chemicals available to prepare buffers and other reagents. They will usually have fume hood, in which volatile substances, and chemicals that produce poisonous gases can be handled, without risk of inhaling the gas.
Microbiology laboratories also have cabinets with negative pressure to prevent the breathing in of harmful bacteria. These will often pass the air through a number of filters, then pump it back into the room.
Other common laboratory equipment includes centrifuges to remove solid particles from a liquid, spectrophotometers to accurately measure the optical absorbance of a liquid and a particular wavelength (measure its colour), aspiratorAn aspirator is a common piece of laboratory equipment. It provides a strong suction without needing electricity. The aspirator fits over a faucet and has a hose barb on one side. When water flows through the aspirator, gas will get sucked in through thes for providing suction, and water baths that maintain a substance at a particular temperatureTemperature is the physical property of a system which underlies the common notions of "hot" and "cold"; the material with the higher temperature is said to be hotter. General description The formal properties of temperature are studied in thermodynamics..
Laboratories designed for processing specimens, such as environmental research or medical laboratoriesA medical laboratory or clinical laboratory is a laboratory where tests are done on biological specimens in order to get information about the health of a patient. Departments The laboratory is often divided into a number of disciplines: Microbiology rece will have specialised machinery ( automated analyserAn automated analyser is a laboratory machine designed to process a number of samples quickly, with minimal human assistance. Different methods of putting samples through have been invented, but usually involve placing test tubes of sample into racks, whis) designed to process many samples and numerous tests. Research and experimentation is not a priority in these laboratories; the aim is to give a fast and reliable result.
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