Whether you’re teaching or learning in a university laboratory or a professional one, labs are extremely controlled spaces. Many factors affect the success of laboratory experiments, so it’s important to know these different factors going into an experiment.
Equipment
The quality of the equipment you use in your experiments as a lab technician is one of the most important factors for success. Look for signs that your equipment is damaged or needs to be replaced. For example, some signs you should replace your lab chiller include higher energy bills and the constant need for repairs. Even small nicks and damages to lab equipment can affect an experiment, so never let damaged equipment go unchecked. This goes for any equipment around your laboratory space.
Environment
The environment in which you conduct your laboratory experiments is also extremely important, whether you’re performing experiments as a student or on a professional level. Anything from light to temperature to movement can affect certain experiments, so controlling your laboratory environment is extremely important. This is why some laboratories have pressurized rooms where you can set temperature, ventilation, and pressure readings.
Reactions
When you’re working with certain chemicals, different substances will react with each other in surprising ways. If you’re a laboratory student, you’ll learn about some of these different reactions; if you’re a lab technician or scientist, your job might be to test them. Maintaining a controlled environment is so important, because even small exposure to other chemicals can cause reactions. Always perform tests in a controlled environment such as a fume hood.
Don’t underestimate the factors that affect the success of laboratory experiments. Sometimes all it takes for an experiment to fail is one hair out of place. Now that you know more about these factors, you can better control them in your own experiments.
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