Illustration of a graduated cylinder

Picture of a graduated cylinder. The circular plastic ring helps with accurate measuring by helping to combat parallax error.

A graduated (Grad for short) cylinder, also referred to as a measuring cylinder, is a type of laboratory glassware that is used for measuring the volumes of liquids in a quantitative manner. The top usually has a small curled lip to allow easy pouring of liquids, and the bottom is usually anchored with a wide base, to keep the cylinder from easily tipping. The volumes of liquids graduated cylinders can handle ranges from a few milliliters to many liters.

Pipettes or burettes provide more precise measurement options than graduated cylinders. Each consists of a long cylindrical tube, much taller than wide, with markings on the side to denote volumes.

A graduated cylinder can be made of plastic or glass or Pyrex. Often, the largest graduated cylinders are made of plastic, making them lighter and more break resistant.

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