Causes of Common Laboratory Accidents

Try these questions

5 questions from this lesson’s quiz. Start the lesson to answer them and see the right answers.

1. 1. Why must concentrated acid always be added slowly to water, and never water to concentrated acid?

   • A. The heat released can turn water to steam on the surface and spray acid outward
   • B. Acid is lighter than water and floats on top
   • C. Water becomes toxic when added to acid
   • D. The acid stops being corrosive if poured first

2. 2. Juma heated a flat-bottomed flask directly over a Bunsen flame without a wire gauze, and the flask shattered. Which is the most likely root cause?

   • A. The flame was blue
   • B. Heat concentrated unevenly on one small point of the glass, which may already have had a hairline crack
   • C. The flask contained water
   • D. The laboratory windows were open

3. 3. Three learners mixed concentrated acid with bleaching powder in an unlabelled bottle while the windows were shut. Which pair of causes best describes what went wrong?

   • A. Mechanical failure and a frayed cord
   • B. Unauthorised mixing and poor ventilation
   • C. Dim lighting and a slippery floor
   • D. Perished gas tubing and an unstable tripod

4. 4. A chemical liquid spills on your workstation. What should you do first?

   • A. Wipe it with your hands and a cloth
   • B. Cover it with a textbook so nobody sees it
   • C. Step back immediately to avoid contact and alert nearby classmates
   • D. Continue the experiment and report it later

5. 5. What term describes failure to exercise proper care, such as ignoring written safety rules or leaving hazards unattended?

   Type your answer in the lesson.

More in Laboratory Safety

• ▸Introduction to Laboratory Safety and Rules
• ▸Laboratory Design, Layout, and Safety Installations
• ▸Chemical Hazard Symbols
• ▸Chemical Hazard Symbols
• ▸First Aid Measures Laboratory Burns and Scalds
• ▸First Aid Measures Cuts and Glassware Injuries
• ▸First Aid Ingestion and Inhalation
• ▸Fire Safety and Emergency Response

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