Lab Techniques for Biologists Flashcards
Give examples of substances covered by COSHH?
Chemicals Products containing chemicals Fumes Dusts Vapours Biological agents
What does COSHH stand for?
Control of Substances hazardous to health
What does PPE stand for?
Personal Protective Equipment
Give some examples of PPE
Safety goggles
Lab coat
Gloves
Closed toe shoes
What does an autopipette allowed to be measured?
Small volumes of liquid accurately
What are burettes used for?
Dispense precise volumes of liquid reagants
What happens to the burette before it is used?
Rinsed with the liquid to be used
Where are readings taken from?
Bottom of the Meniscus
What is repeated dilution from a stock solution known as?
Serial Dilution
What type of dilution is it if each step is a tenfold dilution?
Logarithmic Dilution
The concentration of a pigmented compound can be quantified using a?
Colorimeter
How does a colorimeter work?
Passing a light beam at a specific wavelength through a cuvette containing a sample solution
How do you calibrate a colorimeter?
Place a calibration solution(usually distilled water) into a cuvette, place in colorimeter and press calibrate, providing a user with a 0 absorbance reading
What is a pH buffer?
Solution whose pH changes very little when a small amount of acid/base is added to it
Give one method to determine the unknown concentration of a solution
Standard Curve
Titration
What seperates substances out in centrifugation?
Size and Density
What is the liquid that remains above the pellet called in centrifugation?
Supernatant
What does protein electrophoresis seperate proteins based on?
Charge and/or size/shape
Give one form of protein electrophoresis
SDS page
Do smaller proteins travel furthur or less than bigger proteins in protein electrophoresis?
Further
What does seperation of proteins depend on if native gels are used?
protein charge and shape.
What do proteins do at their isoelectric point?
Overall neutral charge, precipitate out of solution
What charge do proteins carry below their isoelectric point?
Positive
How does isoelectric focussing work?
pH gradient is set up on a gel
Protein loaded in and moves until it reaches its isoelectric point where it forms a band
What is Chromatography?
Set of Techniques which separate the components of a mixture
What are the three types of chromatography?
Paper, thin-layer and Affinity
What is the stationary phase in paper chromatography?
Strip of chromatography paper
What is the stationary phase in thin layer chromatography?
Strip of absorbent material such as silica gel
What does affinity chromatography rely on?
Binding interactions of a protein and a ligand
Where is the ligand found in affinity chromatography?
Immobilised in an inert support
What is immunoassay?
Test which uses antibodies to detect the presence and concentration of a protein within a solution
What does immunoassay rely on?
Specificity of Antibodies