Need help with lab safty homework?

Question

when you read the label on a chemical container, what are the three most important peices of information?

before choosing a theomomenter for a specific, what should you know?

and why is it important to remove rings, watches, and contact lenses before working in a lab?

Answer 1

The most important pieces of information are the name and formula.  With these, you can look up an MSDS or other information on the chemical and the hazards associated with it.  Also of importance are any hazards noted on the container; these will be different for different chemicals.

Make sure that the thermometer operates in the temperature range you want to measure in.  Also make sure the thermometer is accurate enough for the experiment you are performing.  For some experiments, it may be convenient to use a digital thermometer so that data can be uploaded to and interpreted by a computer.

Jewelry can catch on items and knock them over.  Also, this regulation likely dates from a time when mercury was commonly used in the lab: mercury will amalgamate (stick to and dissolve) gold, silver, and other common jewelry metals.  This can ruin the jewelry.  The rules against contact lenses are somewhat debated.  There are rumors that contact lenses have fused to people's eyeballs after accidents involving ammonia and/or electric arcs, but I believe they have turned out to be mostly untrue.  It may be harder to properly rinse an eye with a contact lens in it should chemicals splash into the eye, so it is still a good idea to remove them.