Erlenmeyer Flasks
Authority: Common laboratory glassware volume series (borosilicate glass)
Laboratory Erlenmeyer flasks are manufactured in a standard volume series from 50 mL up to 2000 mL and beyond, typically in borosilicate glass with a narrow neck for swirling without spilling. Mid-range sizes between 125 and 1000 mL are the most common for general titration, mixing, and cell culture work.
| Nominal Volume | Typical Use |
|---|---|
| 50 mL | Small-scale reactions, titration |
| 125 mL | Cell culture, small-batch mixing |
| 250 mL | General-purpose lab standard size |
| 500 mL | Mid-scale mixing and heating |
| 1000 mL | Large-batch mixing, bulk titration |
| 2000 mL | Scale-up culture and bulk preparation |
History & Origin
The flask is named for Emil Erlenmeyer, a German chemist who designed it around 1860 and had it produced commercially by local glassware makers not long after. Erlenmeyer, who studied under the prominent chemist Justus von Liebig, is also known for broader contributions to organic chemistry and structural theory, but the flask that bears his name has proven to be his most enduring and widely recognized legacy -- it remains standard equipment in virtually every chemistry and biology lab in the world.
The design solves a specific practical problem: its narrow neck and sloped, conical sides let a chemist swirl the flask vigorously to mix its contents without splashing liquid out, while the neck can still accept a stopper to seal it or a funnel for adding reagents. The flat base, unlike a round-bottom flask, also lets it sit stably on a lab bench or hot plate without needing a support ring.