LABORATORY FLASKS

Laboratory flasks are perhaps one of the most recognisable and common types of laboratory glassware. They come in a range of shapes and sizes including Round Bottom, Flat Bottom, Erlenmeyer and Vacuum. Typically, the common distinguishing feature of a laboratory flask is a wider bottom section (the body) and one or more narrow sections at the top (the neck).

Laboratory flasks, regardless of the variety, are categorised by the volume they can hold. This is generally expressed in metric units such as millilitres or litres. The vast majority of flasks used in laboratories are manufactured from borosilicate glass although some plastic flasks are available.

Types of Laboratory Flask

Round Bottom Flasks – A flask with a spherical body and one or more necks. The necks are typically long, giving the appearance of a tube protruding from a spere. They are used in distillation, or for heating a product.

Erlenmeyer Flasks – Also referred to as a conical flask, they are shaped like a cone, with a wide flat bottom leading up to a thin neck.

Retorts – Have long, downturned necks and round bases and are essentially a basic form or distillation apparatuses. They are now rarely used and have largely been replaced by condensers.

Dewar Flask – Are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are double walled and are used as insulating storage vessels, also referred to as a vacuum flask.

Schlenk Flask – Spherical with a sidearm fitted with a PTFE or glass stopcock. This allows the vessel to be evacuated or filled with gases.