mittasylintereitä

Mittasylinteri, known in English as a graduated cylinder, is a common piece of laboratory equipment used to measure the volume of a liquid. It is a tall, cylindrical container with markings etched or printed along its side indicating volume measurements. These markings are called graduations, hence the name.

Graduated cylinders are typically made of glass or plastic, with glass being preferred for greater accuracy and chemical resistance. They come in various sizes, ranging from small cylinders capable of measuring a few milliliters to larger ones that can hold a liter or more. The precision of a graduated cylinder varies depending on its size and the fineness of its graduations. Larger cylinders generally have coarser markings, while smaller ones have more precise graduations.

To use a graduated cylinder, it is placed on a flat surface, and the liquid to be measured is poured into it. The user then reads the volume by observing the bottom of the meniscus, which is the curved surface of the liquid, at eye level. For accurate measurements, it's important to ensure the cylinder is clean and dry before use, and that the liquid is at room temperature. Graduated cylinders are generally more accurate than beakers or flasks for measuring liquid volumes, but less accurate than volumetric pipettes or burettes. They are often used in titrations, chemical reactions, and other applications where approximate volume measurements are sufficient.