Acentrifugation is a piece of laboratory equipment used in chemistry and biology.The sample tubes are arranged around the perimeter of the centrifuge in a circular shape.The balance tubes should be positioned opposite of one another in the centrifuge.The center of gravity for the centrifuge and the test tubes will be located at the center if it is balanced properly.
Step 1: Make sure the surface is stable.
Centrifuges are small and sit on a counter, table, or other surface in a laboratory.The surface of the centrifuge is completely level, so make sure you confirm that before you add your samples.The equipment will fall to the floor if the surface is slanted.The surface is level if you have a carpenter's level.Make sure the horizontal bubble is completely centered in the glass tube by setting the level on the counter.You can skip this step if you use a very large centrifuge that rests on the floor.
Step 2: The correct size of tubes is needed.
Centrifuges can take different sizes of tubes.Larger Centrifuges take larger microtubes.A messy spill or damage to the tube with your sample could be caused by putting the wrong size tube in a Centrifuge.If you are confused about which size tube to use, consult a laboratory technician.You can consult the manual for the machine you are using.Microtubes are used in most mini Centrifuges.
Step 3: All of your tubes should be filled evenly.
You can pour the same amount of liquid into each of the microtubes using a pipette.Make sure that all of the microtubes you plan to use for the experiment are filled with 10 mL of solution.There is a microtube filled with 9 or 11 mL.
Step 4: The balance tubes should be filled at the same level.
Balance tubes are inserted into the centrifuge to balance out the other microtubes.To fill the balance tubes with liquid, use a laboratory dropper.If the marks on the side of the tube indicate the amount of liquid in it, make sure all the tubes are filled to the same level.Balance tubes are filled with water.If the solution you are using has a higher density than water, use a liquid with a similar density in the balance tubes.
Step 5: The balance tube should be opposite the microtubes.
There are many holes around the perimeter of the central rotor.Place a filled microtube in a hole.Attach the balance tube to the hole opposite the solution-filled microtube.Adding microtubes 2 at a time will ensure that you add an even amount of weight to either side of the centrifuge.You can keep the center of gravity in the middle of the centrifuge by adding 1 equally weighted tube on either side.
Step 6: Add 2 more microtubes after rotating the centrifuge rotor 90.
You need to put the new microtubes in between the 2 that have already been added.If you add the first 2 microtubes at 12 and 6 o'clock, then add 2 more at 3 and 9.If the liquids are the same color, create a system so that you know which tubes are microtubes and which are balance tubes.A blue marker can be used to color a small dot on top of the balance tubes.
Step 7: Continue adding balance tubes and equidistant microtubes.
There are holes in the system and you can add as many microtubes as you want.After you have added microtubes at 3 o'clock and 9 a.m., you could add 2 more at 2 and 8 and another pair at 11 and 5.An alternate configuration is needed if you have an odd number of microtubes.
Step 8: Place tubes at even intervals to balance them.
If you have 3 microtubes, you could put the 3 pairs across from one another.If you want to balance the centrifuge without using balance tubes, place the 3 microtubes at 2, 6 and 10 o'clock.When balancing a 12-hole centrifuge, the clock positions work well.Centrifuges with 24 and 30 holes are common.
Step 9: There are 5 microtubes and one balance tube.
First, fill the balance tube with water.3 tubes should be placed at 1 o'clock.The tubes should be positioned at 5, 6, and 7 o'clock.The balance tube can be found in any of these positions.swap out the balance tube for a sample-filled microtube if you use the same configuration.
Step 10: There are 7 microtubes and 1 balance tube.
Place 2 sets of microtubes in a way that they counterbalance each other and center the weight in the centrifuge.The microtubes should be placed at 11, 12, 1, and 2 o'clock.At 5, 6, 7, and 8 o'clock, place 4 more microtubes.The same configuration of 8 microtubes can be used to balance a centrifuge.One of the microtubes should be replaced with a sample-filled tube.