ESL Podcast 564 - Working in a Laboratory

lab - laboratory; a place where scientists and engineers work, conducting experiments and tests

Students have to wear protective eyeglasses whenever they go into the lab.

colleague - co-worker; a person whom one works with, usually in the same business or organization

How often do you eat lunch with your colleagues?

daycare - a type of business that provides childcare services for young children during the day while their parents are at work

Ania plans to send her son to daycare once he's four months old so that she can go back to work.

research - the process of learning new information by studying phenomena and testing new ideas

They're conducting research to learn about the effects of a high-sodium diet.

toddler - a one-, two-, or three-year-old child; a young child who is learning how to walk

How many words do most toddlers know?

microscope - a device used to see things that cannot normally be seen because they are too small, often used for biological research

Today we're going to use a microscope to look at the cells in human hair.

beaker - a glass cup with small marks for measuring, used in chemistry and other sciences to measure and pour liquids

Please pour 100 ml of ethanol into the beaker and heat it to 85 degrees.

test tube - a small glass container that is shaped like a tube that is rounded at one end and open on the other end, used to measure, store, and pour small amounts of liquid

The doctor put her blood sample into three small test tubes and sent them away for testing.

reach - the area around oneself in which one can touch something by extending one's arm, hand, and fingers

Please put the breakable objects on the highest shelf, out of the children's reach.

to tip over - to knock something over; to hit something, usually accidentally, and make it fall over

When Piet accidentally hit the table, he tipped over the vase, but fortunately it didn't break.

Petri dish - a small, very short, round glass or plastic dish with a lid, used by scientists for research

The bacteria will grow more quickly if you put the Petri dish in a warm, damp location.

experiment - a scientific test to see what will happen under certain conditions, or to test whether one's hypothesis (idea) is correct

In our physics class, we conducted an experiment to measure the force of gravity.

chemical - a liquid or gas used in chemistry or produced through a chemical reaction

Some women want to buy all-natural makeup that is made without any chemicals.

to collect - to gather; to get something, usually by taking it from many different places

Hal collects small rocks of all types from every country he visits.

data - information; facts; quantitative or qualitative information, often gathered through an experiment, that hasn't yet been processed or analyzed

According to the data we've collected, our customers prefer colored cameras over black or grey cameras.

to empty - to remove the contents of a bag or container so that nothing is left inside it

Khaled emptied all his jacket pockets, but he still couldn't find his keys.

solution - a liquid that is a mixture of two or more substances

Arthur made a solution of sugar and water to feed to the hummingbirds.

lab coat - a long, usually white jacket worn by scientists who work with dangerous chemicals in a laboratory, worn to protect their skin and clothing

Troy accidentally spilled acid all over his lab coat, but fortunately it didn't hurt his skin.

silly goose - an informal name for a person, usually a child, who has done something silly, slightly foolish, and unexpected, making one laugh

Brook is always doing funny things like wearing huge hats or painting butterflies on her cheeks. She's such a silly goose!