Test Tubes

Test tube, popularly known as a culture tube, is an important and widely used laboratory glassware. It is a simple glass tube open at the top, having a rounded U shaped bottom. It often has a flared opening. These most commonly required and used laboratory instruments are available in different lengths and widths for different needs. These clear and cylindrical glass tubes are extensively used in laboratory experimentation.

These tubes are constructed from expansion-resistant glass including pyrex and can easily be heated over a burner. The glass is heat resistant and also chemical resistant. A boiling tube, is generally used for heating chemicals over a long period of time.

Types of Test tubes
Test tubes are classified on the basis of the materials they are constructed from. There are two major types of test tubes used in different industries and experiments:

• Glass Test Tubes: These laboratory test tubes are made of heat and chemical resistant glass. The only disadvantage of these tubes are that they have high breakage rate.
• Plastic Test Tubes: These tubes are made of polypropylene and polystyrene. These test tubes are designed to tolerate most chemicals and acids, solvents.

Use of Test Tube
Laboratory Test Tubes are simple lab equipment but find a large number of uses spanning across different industries, some of the important industries are:

• Industrial Chemicals
• Pharmaceuticals
• Neutraceuticals
• Herbal Medicines
• Agriculture
• Petrochemicals
• Textiles
• Educational Laboratories
• Clinical Laboratories
• Scientific Research