Before anything else, it is necessary for us to define what test tubes we are talking about. This is because there are different elements associated with the term ‘test tube’. First of all, there are scientific or glass test tubes, whereas the same term is used to denote babies that are born through a procedure called in-vitro fertilization, or test tube babies. Here, the term test tube is being used to denote the test tubes that are typically used in scientific labs.
Now, test tubes are also known as sample tubes, or culture tubes. These are actually a rather common piece of laboratory glassware that is made up of a finger-like length of either clear plastic or glass that has an opening at the top. The bottom of a test tube is typically U-shaped. There are a plethora of lengths and widths in which test tubes are commonly available these days. At times, test tubes are manufactured in such a manner that they allow for a screw cap or ground glass stopper to be placed on them.
The invention of test tubes
The invention of test tubes actually goes back a long way in time. Prior to the early 1800’s, there weren’t many containers (as they were known back then) that could have been used for experimental purposes. Even then, it was just top notch, and the extremely rich scientists like Lavoisier who had access to these. Lavoisier is said to have possessed certain experimental glass vessels that could be classified as test tubes. However, the credit for the invention of test tubes goes to John Flamsteed. Although the name of the inventor of test tubes is known, there isn’t much information as to how John Flamsteed came around to inventing these. There are also instances where it has been claimed that it was Lavoisier instead of John Flamsteed who invented test tubes. However, this claim continues to remain on the more disputed end.
What are test tubes actually meant to be used for?
There are a number of purposes for which test tubes are currently being used. However, their utilization is fairly restricted to the confines of science laboratories. When it comes to chemists, they basically make use of test tubes to hold, heat, or even mix small amounts of liquids with one another. However, it isn’t just chemists that are known to work with test tubes. These are also used rather commonly by biologists, who use these for varying experiments that involve mixing, heating or holding liquids and fluids. The basic purpose for which these were invented was to make it easier for chemists, biologists and scientists etc. to hold small amounts of materials, liquids, and substances during experiments or laboratory testing. This particularly holds true for qualitative experiments and studies.
On the whole, the invention of test tubes, irrespective of whether it was by Lavoisier or John Flamsteed, sure was a breakthrough, for these have long proved extremely beneficial in just about every scientific experiment performed since then.