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In this article, the author has explained what is conical flask or Erlenmeyer flask along with its working principle and uses in chemistry laboratory.
What is Conical flask?
According to Wikipedia, a conical flask is a glass or plastic vessel with a tapering bottom to facilitate the addition and removal of a sample.
It is used as important apparatus in the chemistry lab for a variety of tasks. A conical flask is designed in such a way that a small volume of material can be added to the flask, and later it can be removed through a narrow neck. These flasks are mostly used in the chemical and physical analysis.
The size of the flask is determined by its capacity. A conical flask holds less than 1 mL of liquid and is useful in a wide range of chemical reactions that require very precise measurement.
Conical Flask size
The typical sizes of conical flasks are 6-8 mL, 10 mL, and 15 mL. The smaller the flask, the more accurate the amount of sample that can be placed inside the container.
Also read: Separating funnel-Working principle and uses
Discovery of conical or Erlenmeyer flask
Emil Erlenmeyer was a German chemist who discovered the Erlenmeyer flask. He initially specialized in pharmacy, but was eventually drawn back into the world of chemistry, and made many significant contributions to our understanding of the structure of organic molecules.
Conical flask diagram
The Erlenmeyer or Erlenmeyer flask has a broad flat bottom, a conical body, and a high cylindrical neck.
The slanted sides of the Erlenmeyer and the narrow neck allow the contents of the flask to be mixed and swirled without the risk of spilling. There are areas in which Erlenmeyer flasks can be marked or labeled if you pass the test.
How to use a conical flask in a reaction?
There are different ways to use conical flasks, but here are the most common ways:
• Add a sample to the flask.
• Transfer the contents from a larger container into a conical flask.
• Pour a liquid into a conical flask.
• Dilute a solid chemical in a conical flask.
Conical flasks are widely used in the synthesis of organic compounds. The flask is a common method for the dissolution of solid chemicals into solution. It is also used in the synthesis of compounds of interest to the pharmaceutical industry.
Principal of Conical Flask
Let’s explain how a conical flask works. One of the best methods to understand the principle behind the conical flask is to see a regular water pitcher.
You will find a similar structure in a conical flask, but instead of water, it is filled with any kind of liquid like alcohol or oil.
The principle behind the conical flask is that you put a small amount of liquid in a large bottle and it will flow downwards.
After a little time, the surface level gets higher and after a longer duration, the liquid in the conical flask becomes thicker and the liquid level is increased.
After increasing the liquid level, the liquid is no longer flowing down, and this is because it has reached the maximum level.
Now, if you tilt the conical flask slightly, it will become inverted and this will lead to a thin layer of liquid at the bottom and the rest of the liquid will stay above it.
The basic principle of a conical flask is very similar to a funnel; a thin layer of liquid is collected at the bottom. So, this is the reason why a conical flask is so versatile.
You can fill a conical flask with any liquid, and it will easily collect a layer of that liquid at the bottom of the flask.
Uses Of Conical Flasks In Chemistry
A conical flask is one of the useful laboratory tools that will surely change your entire learning in chemistry, and I am not talking about its shapes and sizes but the various uses of this flask.
I know some of you may feel that what’s the need for the such a flask, and it’s a good question.
In the laboratory, a conical flask is used to measure the volumes of solutions. Conical flasks are also used in reactions where mixing is important.
Conical flasks are widely used in the synthesis of organic compounds. The flask is a common method for the dissolution of solid chemicals into solution. It is also used in the synthesis of compounds of interest to the pharmaceutical industry.
Let us discuss the three most important uses of the conical flask.
Use of conical flask as a reaction vessel
It is a big problem for many of the students that they don’t know how to carry out their reactions. The reason is that most of them are not aware of the type of reaction vessel that is required for the particular reaction.
Well, if you are facing such problems then you should try to use the conical flask as a reaction vessel.
Use of conical flask as a condenser
It is one of the most essential and basic uses of conical flask. Most of the students are unaware of the uses of conical flasks. There are certain types of conical flasks that are specially designed for condensation purposes, and the temperature is also controlled by these types of flasks.
Use of conical flask as burette
There are various types of burettes that are designed for a particular purpose. However, they all have the same features but they are used for specific reasons.
The burette is one of the most common and well-known laboratory tools that is used for the measurement of specific volumes of liquids.
In conclusion, you can see how a conical flask is used in a laboratory for measuring liquids. Also, you can see that it is a common way to add or transfer the contents from a larger container into a conical flask.