Laboratory Glassware Beaker

A beaker is a generally cylindrical container with a flat bottom. Most also have a small spout (or "beak") to aid pouring, as shown in the picture. Beakers are available in a wide range of sizes, from one milliliter up to several liters.

Standard or "low-form" beakers typically have a height of about 1.4 times the diameter. The common low form with a spout was devised by john joseph and is therefore sometimes called a Griffin beaker. These are the most universal character and are used for various purposes—from preparing solutions and decanting supernatant fluids to holding waste fluids prior to disposal to performing simple reactions. In short, low form beakers are likely to be used in some way when performing just about any chemical experiment.

"Tall-form" (B) beakers have a height about twice their diameter. These are sometimes called Berziler beakers and are mostly used for titration.

Flat beakers (C) are often called crystallizers because most are used to perform crystallization, but they are also often used as a vessel for use in hot-bath heating. These beakers usually do not have a flat scale.

A beaker is distinguished from a flask by having straight rather than sloping sides. The exception to this definition is a slightly conical-sided beaker called a Philips beaker.