Graduated cylinder

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/graduated-cylinder

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary scientific use?Accurate measurement of variable liquid volumes in laboratory settings
2. Why is a graduated cylinder tall and skinny?The tube is tall and skinny so the liquid has less surface exposed to air, which stops it from evaporating, and the small width makes the numbers on the side easier to read and more precise.
3. How does a graduated cylinder help scientists measure liquids accurately?By looking at the liquid level and the numbers on the side, scientists can read the exact volume, and the shape of the cylinder makes the numbers show small changes so the measurement is very accurate.

Volumetric Measurement: The process of determining the amount of space a substance occupies.
Concave Meniscus: The curved surface of a liquid in a narrow tube where the liquid wets the tube's walls.
Parallax Error: An error in measurement caused by viewing the scale from an angle rather than perpendicularly.