At the Laboratory Bench
General information on your laboratory notebook, laboratory safety and the use of laboratory equipment.
Laboratory Notebook:
A significant portion of this course will be devoted to laboratory. As a part of the laboratory experience you will be expected to keep a laboratory notebook. The information available onto the page What is a Lab Notebook and what goes in one? Will detail what is expected from you in the lab notebook. Please review the materials provided and take the corresponding quiz: What is a Laboratory Notebook.
Your lab notebooks will be found at in the Collaborations area of our course (linked in the left hand navigation menu) and will be completed with your lab partner.
Laboratory Safety:
Lab can be a ton of fun but we also must be cognizant of the hazards that exist.
Symbols
Below you will see a graphic detailing the hazard symbols you will see used in this laboratory. Several of the symbols will not be used in this course, but it is important as a scientist that you are aware of them. Please review the graphic below and the information here for more detail: Safety in Science - Symbols.
Personal Protective Equipment
In order to protect ourselves from these hazards we will be sure to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times. The use of this equipment will be detailed in our first lab session. Please review the information linked here to familiarize yourself with Personal Protective Equipment.
Waste Disposal
At the start of each lab you will receive instructions (verbally and in writing) on the proper disposal of all laboratory waste materials. Each bin in the classroom is labeled with but the appropriate symbol as well as a written description of what should be placed in the bin. Please follow all given instruction. Below you will find a chart with basic guidelines on the on the disposal of each type of waste we may encounter in the lab.
|
Waste Type |
Disposal Location |
|
Regular trash (e.g. Paper and many of the non-share items used) |
Gray bins in the room |
|
Sharps (e.g. Microscope slides, Coverslips, and broken glassware) |
Rigid containers in the center of each lab bench |
|
Chemicals (e.g. solutions used in staining bacteria) |
Capped containers available in the chemical hoods |
|
Biohazard (e.g. bacterial cultures) |
Bags with clearly marked biohazard symbol will be provided |
Laboratory Protocols and Use of Equipment:
Laboratory Protocols
A laboratory protocol is the basic set of instructions you need to carry out an experiment. A good analogy would be: a laboratory protocol is to an experiment what a recipe is to baking. We will be using protocols during each of our laboratory sessions. Some of our protocols may be used more than once. Your Laboratory Assignments will note which protocols are needed for that day.
Exploring the Scientific Method Links to an external site.
Tools and Measurements Links to an external site.
Invert Diversity Protocol (pdf)
Use of Equipment
This lab uses shared equipment so it is important that you are aware of how to properly use and care for each piece in the lab. Before you will be allowed to use a piece of equipment in the lab you must:
1. Reviewed the information provided.
2. Pass the usage and care quiz. Note, some of these will be presented to you as online assignments/ quizzes and some will be presented as in person practicals.
|
Equipment |
Documents |
Assessment |
Video |
|
Microscope |
|
||
|
Hot Plate |
In class demo |
In class practical |
|
|
Balance |
In class demo |
In class practical |
|
|
Bunsen Burner |
In class demo |
In class practical on use (not on putting out fires) |
Video
Links to an external site. |
Images:
1http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Waksman_laboratory.jpg Links to an external site.