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Part 3: Glassware & Laboratory Equipment

8 Transfer Devices

Transfer devices can be either quantitative or non-quantitative and are used for moving substances from one container to another.

Image of glassware Name of glassware
From left to right, three transfer devices were shown: glass pipet, disposable plastic pipet and graduated pipet (coupled with a bulb).
Diagrams made in Chemix
 Droppers and Pipets (Pipettes)

  • Used for transferring volumes of solutions or adding solutions dropwise to a reaction mixture.
  • Glass pipets (left) usually have a rubber bulb which attaches to the top and acts as the suction device to draw liquid up into the pipet. Glass pipets are non-quantitative and reusable.
  • Plastic pipets (middle) are non-quantitative and disposable.
  • Graduated pipets (right), sometimes called Beral pipets, have the bulb built in as an integral part of the pipet. Graduated pipets are quantitative and reusable.
A short-stem funnel is a funnel with a short, straight stem that is used for transferring liquids or powders into containers with narrow openings, such as bottles or vials. A Buchner funnel is a funnel that is used in conjunction with a Buchner flask and a vacuum pump for filtering solids from liquids. It has a perforated plate or screen at the bottom to allow the liquid to pass through while retaining the solid material.
The figure was created by Dr. Erin Duffy, CC BY-NC.
 Funnels

There are two types of funnels used in this course: Conical funnels (short-stem funnels) and Buchner funnels.

Conical Funnel or Short-Stem Funnel

  • May be used as a guiding device to help when pouring liquid from one container to another.
  • With the aid of a filter paper, it can be used as a separation device to separate liquids from solids.
  • Gravity filtration is used when the liquid is desired.

Buchner Funnel

  • Usually used with filtration flask under vacuum suction.
  • Vacuum filtration is used when the solid is desired and can be used for drying a solid.
The typical design of crucible tongs consists of two arms joined at one end with a pivot point or hinge. The arms are long and slender, with curved ends that are designed to grip the sides of a crucible securely. The ends of the arms may be smooth or serrated to provide a better grip on the crucible.
The figure was created by Dr. Erin Duffy, CC BY-NC.
 Crucible Tongs

Can be used to transfer hot objects from one place to another, such as an evaporating dish.
A test tube holder consists of a metal or plastic base with holes or slots to hold the test tubes.
The figure was created by Dr. Erin Duffy, CC BY-NC.
 Test-Tube Holder

Used to hold a test tube when it is being heated, or to move a hot test tube from one place to another.
A forcep consists of two arms that are joined at one end, with a hinge or pivot point. The arms are long and slender, with pointed or rounded tips that can grip objects securely. The tips may be straight or curved, depending on the intended use of the forceps.
The figure was created by Dr. Erin Duffy, CC BY-NC.
 Forceps

Used to pick up relatively small objects.
A spatula is a small, flat spoon-shaped tool with a handle, typically made of metal, plastic, or silicone.
The figure was created by Dr. Erin Duffy, CC BY-NC.
 Spatulas and Scoopulas

  • Used to transfer solids from one place to another.
  • Available in different forms and sizes.

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Cooperative Organic Chemistry Student Laboratory Manual Copyright © 2025 by Elizabeth L. Day; Melanie M. Cooper; and Mengqi Zhang is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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