• Question: what science equipment do you like using the most and why ?

    Asked by 299thaf27 to Sian, Dawn, David, Dan, Christie on 15 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Dawn Lau

      Dawn Lau answered on 15 Jun 2016:

      My favourite piece of equipment is an everyday machine, the centrifuge. They come in all shapes and sizes and they are basically a super-powerful salad spinner. A centrifuge contains a spinning bit inside which applies centrifugal force to the contents inside it. It can spin at high speeds which causes the contents of the centrifuge, usually liquid samples, to separate out its substances according to density. We use a centrifuge every day and I like it because there’s always one in every lab and they’re essential to our work!
      In particular we use it to separate organelles within cells. We also have big centrifuges which make scary noises when they spin sometimes, but I like the smaller ones that are about the size of a rugby ball 🙂 They can be really cute! http://labnetinternational.com/sites/www.labnetinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/files/styles/blogsies_header_large/public/blogsies/header-images/Prism-Mini_2_Profile.jpg?itok=DQdybiOy

    • Photo: Sian Thomas

      Sian Thomas answered on 15 Jun 2016:

      Computers.

      They make life so much better.

    • Photo: Christie Waddington

      Christie Waddington answered on 20 Jun 2016:

      The PCR machine! PCR means polymerase chain reaction – it is a reaction we perform that makes multiple copies of DNA if you add the right components in. You have to heat the reaction to different temperatures in a cycle, and there are roughly 30 cycles in each reaction. The PCR machine does the temperature changes and all the cycles for you, so you don’t have to constantly move the samples. We now have a machine that can do many many samples at the same time, and it makes the reaction so much easier!

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