Meaning & use
volumetric flask
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountabletechnicalchemistry
A laboratory container with a flat bottom and a long narrow neck, marked to hold one exact volume of liquid at a given temperature.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a volumetric flask, two volumetric flasks. Use it with a number or an article.
Patterns
- a volumetric flask
- a 250 mL volumetric flask
- fill a volumetric flask to the mark
The student filled the volumetric flask to the calibration mark with distilled water.
A 250 mL volumetric flask is used to prepare the standard solution.
After mixing, transfer the liquid to a 1 L volumetric flask and make up to volume.
Word forms
| plural | volumetric flasks |
|---|
Common combinations
- volumetric flask with a stopper
- Use a volumetric flask with a stopper to mix the solution safely.
- calibrated volumetric flask
- The lab keeps a set of calibrated volumetric flasks for accurate work.
- fill to the mark
- Fill the volumetric flask to the mark before you invert it.
- make up to volume
- After adding the solute, make up to volume in the volumetric flask.
Synonyms and how they differ
- measuring flask
- A less formal term for a similar container, but it may not always imply the same high accuracy.
- graduated flask
- A flask with several volume marks; a volumetric flask has only one mark for one exact volume.
Word family
- volumetric adjective
- Relating to measurement by volume.
- volumetrically adverb
- In a way that involves measuring volume.
Commonly confused: volumetric flask or graduated cylinder? volumetric flask or Erlenmeyer flask?
volumetric flask vs graduated cylinder
A graduated cylinder has many markings and is used for general volume measurement; a volumetric flask is for one precise volume.
volumetric flask vs Erlenmeyer flask
An Erlenmeyer flask has a conical shape and is used for mixing; a volumetric flask has a flat bottom and a long neck for exact volume.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'volumetric flask' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A volumetric flask is designed to contain a precise volume of liquid, so measuring exact volume is its correct use. Heating (option 1) is not done in a volumetric flask, rough mixing (option 2) is better with a beaker, and storing solids (option 3) is not its purpose.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “volumetric flask”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.