Question

Why do chemists use clamps and ring stands?

Answer 1

Obviously, if something is hot, you don't want to touch it to burn yourself. So, it helps to use devices that allow you to suspend something over the source of heat if you need to heat something.

In this setup, there are two common uses:

• You could, for example, use a ring clamp to hold a crucible and lid, which can be placed on a clay triangle.

In a case like this, you would pick up the crucible using a tong.

• Or, you could use it to hold a thermometer, and a clamp to hold an appropriately-sized beaker (with an optional wire gauze underneath the beaker and on top of the ring), and both could be suspended high in the air above your heat source.

Often, the source of heat used is either a hot plate or a bunsen burner.