11) Lab Essentials : Wire Gauze

Microbiology Lab Essentials :

11) Wire Gauze :

The wire gauze is usually used to keep glass beakers or flasks from breaking due to heat shock. When a glass beaker is used on a hot burner, the parts that actually touch the burner get hotter than the parts that have air between the burner and the glass.

It is often used to hold a crucible. Wire gauze - A wire gauze is used to support a beaker or flask when heating. The wire gauze helps to spread the heat evenly.

Wire mesh (wire gauze) is used for uniform distribution of flame heat in base of a heated body. It is made of a iron wire strands with or without ceramic interior cores.

The most common use that I have seen is to dissipate heat more evenly when placed between a flame, such as a Bunsen burner, and a glass receptacle such as a test tube or heating flask. Direct flames can concentrate too much heat on one point and over stress the glass, leading to breakage.