Lab Logistics and Safety

Whether they are testing a new drug, creating new materials, or checking the safety of our food and water, all scientists follow the scientific method. One of the major steps in the scientific method is testing your hypothesis. That's when scientists hit the lab! This volume stresses the important of safety in the laboratory, whether it's a school science lab or the most high-tech research facility. It also examines the proper rules and procedures everyone must follow when working with chemicals in the lab. Fact boxes and full-color photographs support the age-appropriate text.

Measuring the temperature of different types of matter is a key component of many different branches of science, especially chemistry. However, for a long time, scientists could only tell if something was hot or cold and didn't have a way to tell precisely hot or how cold that thing was. Today, we use thermometers in the Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin scales to measure temperature. Diagrams and fact boxes help readers understand the practical uses of each scale and how to safely measure temperature in the lab.

Sometimes laboratory experiments can get out of hand. Sometimes they can even cause harm. Knowing basic first aid is an essential aspect of lab safety. Each lab should be equipped with proper safety equipment to avoid larger issues, as well as first aid kits just in case. Readers will learn about the different types of safety equipment, such as safety showers and eyewash stations, found in labs and how to use each one properly. Photographs and diagrams help readers identify each type of equipment, while fact boxes provide readers with fun information about science.

Performing experiments in a science lab is a fun and exciting way to learn new things, but accidents in the lab are certainly not fun! This book explains the importance of following safety procedures in the lab. Young scientists will learn about the link between good safety and good science. Proper lab procedures can be the difference between a great new discovery and a plain old mess. Colorful photographs, notes on historical experiments, and informational sidebars help readers get a glimpse into the exciting world of laboratory science.

The scientific method is the process scientists use to test ideas and gather useful results. As part of the scientific method, scientists gather data, form a hypothesis, and test their hypothesis by performing experiments. Not all hypotheses will be right, but that's part of science! Readers will learn the parts of the scientific method, best practices for running experiments, and how to interpret the results of their experiment. Diagrams and fact boxes provide readers with essential information about using the scientific method in the lab.

Doing experiments in a laboratory requires equipment. After all, you can't test all the properties of salt and sugar without beakers, a Bunsen burner, and a crucible. With this book, readers will learn about the pieces of equipment found in most science labs, what they're used for, and how to use them. Full-color photographs, helpful diagrams, and informative fact boxes aid readers in understanding the importance of lab safety and proper lab equipment care.