Here is a quick 10-question multiple choice lab safety quiz that tests how well you understand safe procedures in the science lab. Download and print the PDF quiz or just take the quiz right here and check your answers. The answers and explanations are below the quiz.
Lab Safety Quiz
Select the best answer to each question:
(1) Eyeglasses and sunglasses are as protective as:
A. safety glasses
B. fume hood shield
C. chemical goggles
D. none of the above
(2) If a fire starts in the laboratory:
A. open all the windows
B. notify the instructor
C. throw water on it
D. run to the fire extinguisher
(3) Before using glassware:
A. inspect it for damage
B. wash and dry it
C. know how to use it
D. all of the above
(4) If acid splashes onto your skin, immediately apply:
A. oil or lotion
B. soap
C. a strong base
D. lots of water
(5) If you break a test tube and spill a chemical:
A. Use a paper towel to mop of the spill and collect the glass and throw the mess away.
B. Use a paper towel for clean-up, but be sure to throw away the glass in the sharps bin.
C. Collect the glass and throw it in the sharps bin and let the spill air-dry.
D. Warn others of the spill and go tell the instructor.
(6) When heating substances:
A. never heat sealed containers
B. use tongs and insulated gloves
C. point the opening away from people
D. all of the above
(7) If you get injured in lab:
A. apply first aid to yourself
B. notify the instructor at once
C. get treated after class
(8) If you wear contact lenses:
A. keep it to yourself
B. inform your instructor
C. you don’t need to wear safety goggles
D. take them out before lab
(9) To pick up hot glassware:
A. first cool it with cold water
B. use a paper towel for insulation
C. use tongs
D. pick it up by the part that looks cool
(10) To insert fire polished glass tubing into a stopper:
A. Lubricate the glass with glycerin or water.
B. Protect your hands with gloves or a towel.
C. Carefully twist the tubing and stopper.
D. All of the above.
Before you set foot into the laboratory, make sure you know the important lab safety rules.
Safety Quiz Answers and Explanations
(1) Eyeglasses and sunglasses are as protective as:
A. safety glasses
B. fume hood shield
C. chemical goggles
D. none of the above
Regular glasses generally don’t protect the sides of your eyes and aren’t necessarily resistant to chemicals. Also, they aren’t usually impact-resistant. That being said, they offer more protection than wearing no eyewear at all.
(2) If a fire starts in the laboratory:
A. open all the windows
B. notify the instructor
C. throw water on it
D. run to the fire extinguisher
Opening all the windows is a bad plan because it feeds the fire with oxygen. Similarly, adding water (H2O) feeds certain types of fires. Alternatively, water may cause a chemical reaction or spread chemicals. While using the correct type of fire extinguisher is a plan, definitely don’t run to get it. The best option is notifying the instructor.
(3) Before using glassware:
A. inspect it for damage
B. wash and dry it
C. know how to use it
D. all of the above
Glassware that has cracks or chips often breaks during an experiment. Using items that aren’t clean contaminates the experiment, sometimes with dire consequences. Similarly, make sure glassware is dry because some chemicals don’t play nicely with water. Finally, if you don’t know how to use a piece of glassware, you increase the risk of an accident or ruined experiment.
(4) If acid splashes onto your skin, immediately apply:
A. oil or lotion
B. soap
C. a strong base
D. lots of water
Applying oil or lotion just traps the acid onto the skin. Soap and other bases do neutralize acids. However, the reaction between an acid and a base is exothermic. In other words, applying a base immediately increases the risk of adding a thermal burn to your chemical burn. First, rinse the acid with plenty of water. Then, neutralize any remaining acid with soapy water or a bit of baking soda or other weak base. Don’t use a strong base because it causes a chemical burn, just like the acid.
(5) If you break a test tube and spill a chemical:
A. Use a paper towel to mop of the spill and collect the glass and throw the mess away.
B. Use a paper towel for clean-up, but be sure to throw away the glass in the sharps bin.
C. Collect the glass and throw it in the sharps bin and let the spill air-dry.
D. Warn others of the spill and go tell the instructor.
Labs have rules about how you dispose of chemicals and sharp objects. There are also rules about reporting accidents. So, the first action you take is warning your neighbors about the accident. Then, tell your instructor. Paper towels are not always the go-to means of mopping up a spill because some chemicals react with cellulose in paper and start a fire. How the spill gets cleaned up and what happens to the chemicals and the broken glass depends on the situation and your lab’s policies.
(6) When heating substances:
A. never heat sealed containers
B. use tongs and insulated gloves
C. point the opening away from people
D. all of the above
Most substances expand upon heating, so heating a sealed container risks an explosive outcome. Don’t handle hot containers using your hands. Never point the open end of a hot container toward yourself or another person because of the risk of releasing hot material. Even if no solid or liquid escapes, the vapor pressure sends fumes in that direction.
(7) If you get injured in lab:
A. apply first aid to yourself
B. notify the instructor at once
C. get treated after class
Immediately reporting injuries, even if they are minor, is important. Then, get first aid. Yes, injuring yourself in the lab is embarrassing, but don’t make light of it, cover it up, or delay treatment.
(8) If you wear contact lenses:
A. keep it to yourself
B. inform your instructor
C. you don’t need to wear safety goggles
D. take them out before lab
Your instructor needs to know whether or not you wear contacts. Contacts are fine in some labs, but they are a bad plan in a chemistry wet lab or a microbiology lab because they trap chemicals or microorganisms. Taking out your contacts before lab is a good option, but only if you have glasses and are used to wearing them. Walking around the lab blindly is not safe.
(9) To pick up hot glassware:
A. first cool it with cold water
B. use a paper towel for insulation
C. use tongs
D. pick it up by the part that looks cool
Never set hot glassware on a cold counter or douse it with cold water because it could shatter. Paper towels are not great insulators and may even catch fire. Touching glass to see if it’s cool isn’t smart, especially since you can use tongs and avoid the risk of a burn.
(10) To insert fire polished glass tubing into a stopper:
A. Lubricate the glass with glycerin or water.
B. Protect your hands with gloves or a towel.
C. Carefully twist the tubing and stopper.
D. All of the above.
Pushing glass tubing through your hand leaves a nasty permanent scar. Breaking the tubing and slashing yourself isn’t much better. Work slowly and gently. Don’t force the tubing. If it won’t fit, the hole in the stopper might be too small. This is a surprisingly common accident!