Handouts


 * Safety in the Chemistry Laboratory**.

Chemistry laboratories in schools and industry are built and maintained according to very strict safety standards. The floors, walls and ceilings are constructed of relatively fireproof and corrosion proof materials. Plenty of fast flowing water is always nearby. Showers are stationed conveniently for easy emergency access. Fire extinguishers are ready and kept at a working condition. Sinks are made so that they don’t corrode so easily and are deep and designed so they don’t splash back potentially dangerous chemicals. Corrosive chemicals are stored in special steel cabinets and locked against unauthorized access. Adequate ventilation is provided. All dangerous materials are labeled with proper warnings. Many other important precautions are taken as well. In addition, supervision by a competent instructor or professional laboratory personnel is required. At home, there are built in safety measures as well. Your home contains some potentially dangerous equipment and materials too. The heater that heats your house and hot water, the high voltage electric supply and your kitchen stove, whether gas or electric, must also comply with rigid safety standards. The difference here is that we are much more familiar with the operation of our home than we are the chemistry laboratory. Some household cleaners are potentially very dangerous, but, again, we are familiar with their use.

Many of the chemicals that you will be using in the course laboratory experiments are probably unfamiliar to you and are extremely dangerous. For this reason, we have taken measures to insure that the concentrations of the chemicals have been minimized as much as possible and to still produce the proper effect in the laboratory. .The procedures, as well as some of the apparatus, might also be unfamiliar to you and so are written as simply and clearly as possible. Still, it is important that you observe all safety precautions and have adult supervision present for all your laboratories.

Potassium Lilac
 * Colors for Metals **

Sodium Yellow

Calcium Orange Yellow

Lithium Crimson

Barium Yellow Green

Copper Green

Strontium Red