Laboratory

Michael Faraday, 19th century physicist and chemist, in his lab.

Biochemistry laboratory at the University of Cologne.

A laboratory (lab for short) is a work place where scientific research, experiments, or measurement are done.

The word laboratory is also used for other places where the work done or equipment used are like those in scientific laboratories. These include:

• a film laboratory or photographic laboratory
• a computer lab
• a medical lab
• a clandestine lab for making illegal drugs

Scientific laboratories can be found in schools and universities, in hospitals, in industry, in government or military facilities, and even aboard ships and spacecraft.

Laboratory Media

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  The Schuster Laboratory, University of Manchester (a physics laboratory)

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  Laboratory, Brecon County School for Girls

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  Three beakers, an Erlenmeyer flask, a graduated cylinder and a volumetric flask

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  An eyewash station in a laboratory

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  Photograph of the geneticist Riin Tamm, Estonian Biocentre.

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  Chemistry laboratory of the 18th century, of the sort used by Antoine Lavoisier and his contemporaries

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  Thomas Edison in his laboratory, 1901

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  Classroom and Lab in Medical Building 1927

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  Labs in Chemistry Department in Medical Building 1948

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  A laboratory of the Chemistry Department of the University of Helsinki on September 23, 1960