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Why do you heat a beaker on wire gauze?
Wire gauze is an important piece of supporting equipment in a laboratory as glassware cannot be heated directly with the flame of a Bunsen burner, and requires the use of a wire gauze to diffuse the heat, helping to protect the glassware.
What’s the purpose of a wire gauze?
Why is a metal gauze used on top of a tripod when heating a glass beaker?
The wire gauze is either placed on top of a tripod or on top of a support ring which is attached to an adjustable stand, with the bunsen burner directly underneath. Glassware cannot be heated with a direct flame, which is why a wire gauze is required to diffuse the heat from the flame as it protects the glassware.
What is a tripod and gauze used for?
A laboratory tripod is a three-legged platform used to support flasks and beakers. Tripods are usually made of stainless steel or aluminium and lightly built for portability within the lab. Often a wire gauze is placed on top of the tripod to provide a flat base for glassware.
Is water a bad conductor of heat?
This is because water is a poor conductor of heat. Most of the heat will move in a convection current within the water at the top of the test tube, only a small fraction of it will conduct down to the ice cube.
Is glass a good conductor of heat?
Glass is a good conductor of heat when it is found in fiberglass. Glass allows radiant heat to pass through freely. The reason that glass is such a valuable material is that it exhibits a very low absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the visible range.
What can wire gauze be used for in a laboratory?
It acts as a support for objects on a tripod or ring and spreads the flame of a spirit lamp or bunsen burner. Some, as in the video, had an asbestos (or more recently ceramic) centre portion.
How is wire gauze used in a bunsen burner?
When a Bunsen burner is used, a piece of wire gauze is often placed between the beaker/flask and a ring that is used to hold the beaker above the fire. This serves the above purpose and also makes it less likely that the glassware will fall off the ring.
What is the purpose of wire gauze ( nichrome )?
Nichrome is a material that has a lifetime expectancy and can withstand ongoing use. It can be placed between a crucible or other porcelain or glass vessel and the Bunsen burner flame. Glassware should never be heated directly with a flame so wire gauze can be a good protectant as it diffuses the heat.
What kind of glass to use for gauze?
For the gauze to work the best, a person should use a glassware item with a flat bottom. A good example of a flat bottom glassware item would be a beaker or an Erlenmeyer flask. The Florence flask has a partially flat bottom and can also be used.