A pipette is a laboratory tool used to transfer small amounts of liquid from one container to another with high accuracy and precision. Pipettes come in several designs for various purposes with differing levels of accuracy and precision, from single-piece glass pipettes to more complex adjustable or electronic pipettes. There are several types of pipettes, including:
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Volumetric pipettes: These transfer a single, predetermined volume of liquid and are often called a bulb pipette for their shape, which is a long tube-like shaft at the bottom and top and a bulb in the center where the bulk of solution is held. They are also calibrated with small divisions and are often adjustable, allowing users to accurately draw up the necessary amount of liquid.
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Measuring pipettes: These have graduated volumes, like a graduated cylinder, and can dispense different volumes. They are calibrated with small divisions and are often adjustable, allowing users to accurately draw up the necessary amount of liquid.
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Micropipettes: These are accurate and precise and can transfer measured volumes of microliters of volume. They are spring-loaded instruments and require calibration every few months either from the manufacturer or by a process of weighing water at a known temperature.
Pipettes are used in a wide variety of laboratory processes, including making solutions, dissolving powders, mixing chemicals, and more. They are commonly used in chemistry, biology, and medicine to transport a measured volume of liquid, often as a media dispenser. Pipettes are also used to maintain accuracy and precision in scientific experiments.
