A measuring cylinder is a graduated tube used to measure an approximate volume of liquid; it is quick but less precise than a pipette or a burette.
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A measuring cylinder is a tall, graduated tube used to measure the volume of a liquid. It has a scale marked in cubic centimetres, so you can pour a liquid up to a chosen level and read off roughly how much you have. It is quick and convenient, but it gives only an approximate volume, because its wide bore and coarse graduations make it less precise than a pipette or a burette. The SPM Chemistry syllabus (4541) expects you to choose it only when an exact volume is not required.
For example, if a method says “add about 50 cm³ of water”, a measuring cylinder is the correct choice: you simply fill to the 50 cm³ mark. But if a titration needs exactly 25.0 cm³ of a solution, a measuring cylinder is not accurate enough, and a pipette must be used instead. As with any narrow tube, the volume is read from the bottom of the meniscus at eye level to avoid parallax error.
The confusion to avoid is treating a measuring cylinder as an accurate instrument. It is not, its job is speed and approximation. Choosing it where accuracy is asked for, or a pipette where only a rough volume is needed, is a common apparatus-selection mistake in the exam. Match the apparatus to the accuracy the task actually needs. A good rule of thumb is that whenever a method gives a volume to one decimal place, such as 25.0 cm³, a measuring cylinder will not do and a pipette or burette is meant.
Within the apparatus section, the measuring cylinder is the “approximate volume” instrument that contrasts with the accurate pipette and burette. Our teachers help you decide, question by question, which volume-measuring tool each task requires.
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