U1 - Laboratory techniques for biologists Flashcards
What can present a hazard in the lab?
Substances, organisms and equipment.
Examples of hazards in the lab?
Toxic or corrosive chemicals, heat or flammable substances, pathogenic organisms and mechanical equipment.
What does a risk assessment involve?
Identifying control measures to minimise the risk
What are some control measures?
Appropriate handling techniques, protective clothing and equipment and aseptic techniques.
What is a linear dilution?
A dilution by an equal interval e.g. 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and so on.
What is a serial dilution?
Dilutions that differ by a constant proportion e.g. 10^-1, 10^-1, 10^-3.
What is a risk?
A risk is the likely hood of harm arising from exposure to a hazard.
What is a buffer?
An addition of acid or alkali has a very small effects on the pH of a buffer which allows the pH of a reaction mixture to be kept constant.
How to calibrate a colorimeter?
Calibration of a colorimeter needs to be done with an appropriate blank sample as a baseline.
What does a colorimeter measure?
Use of absorbance to determine concentration of a coloured solution using suitable wavelength filters.
Use of percentage transmission to determine turbidity such as cell in suspension
What does percentage transmission determine?
Turbidity such as cell is suspension
What does absorbance measure?
The concentration of a coloured solution using suitable wavelength filters.
