Burette: Uses and How to Use It
Burette: Uses and How to Use It
A burette is a long graduated glass tube with a stopcock at the bottom, used to deliver accurately measured volumes of solution, mainly in titration. Its scale starts at 0 at the top, so the volume delivered = final reading − initial reading.
What is a burette used for?
- Adding titrant gradually in acid-base, redox or complexometric titrations.
- Delivering accurate volumes (typically to 0.05 mL for a 50 mL burette).
- Determining the concentration of an unknown solution.
Parts of a burette
- 1Zero at the top – the scale runs down to 25 or 50 mL
- 2Graduated tube – lines every 0.1 mL on a 50 mL burette
- 3Stopcock – glass or PTFE, controls the flow
- 4Tip – where the drops come out
How to use a burette
Clamp it vertically on a stand
Clamp the burette to a retort stand with a burette clamp. Make sure it is perfectly vertical and the stopcock is closed.
Fill with a funnel, remove bubbles
Rinse the burette with a little titrant. Fill it through a small funnel (1) above the zero mark, remove the funnel, then open the stopcock briefly into a waste beaker (2) to clear bubbles from the tip and bring the level to 0.00 mL or another recorded value.
Titrate: left hand on the stopcock, right hand swirling
Work the stopcock with your left hand (1), wrapped around the burette from behind so the tap is not pulled out. Swirl the flask with your right hand (2). Near the end point, add drop by drop until the indicator colour changes and persists.
Read the bottom of the meniscus at eye level
Read the initial and final volumes at eye level with the bottom of the meniscus, to two decimal places (e.g. 23.45 mL). A dark card behind the burette makes the meniscus easier to see.
Common mistakes
- Leaving an air bubble in the tip: the recorded volume is larger than what was delivered.
- Reading from above or below, or forgetting that the scale increases downwards.
- Leaving the funnel in place during titration: residual drops fall in.
Care and safety
- Empty and rinse after use, especially after alkalis that can seize glass stopcocks.
- Store upside down with the stopcock open in a burette rack.
Types and sizes
Common sizes are 10, 25 and 50 mL, with microburettes for small-scale titrations. PTFE stopcocks need no grease and resist alkali; amber burettes are used for light-sensitive titrants such as KMnO₄ and AgNO₃. Class A is used for quantitative analysis.
Burette at AMI Scientific
Examples of burette available in our store. Prices exclude VAT.
Buret Kaca Keran Kaca Amber Kelas A Iwaki PA B-BURETFrom Rp1.567.000
Buret Digital Titrex 2000 WitegFrom Rp28.830.000
Normax Schellbach Burette Glass Key PA 54 328From Rp919.000
Normax Schellbach Burette PTFE Key PA 54 330From Rp1.000.000
AMI Scientific supplies laboratory glassware, instruments and chemicals with tax invoices and delivery across Indonesia.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the zero at the top of a burette?
Because a burette measures the volume delivered. The liquid level falls as titrant runs out, so readings increase downwards.
How do you calculate the titrant volume?
Titrant volume = final reading − initial reading. Calculate concentration with the titration formula M₁V₁ = M₂V₂ (adjusted for the reaction ratio).
Related equipment
Compiled by the AMI Scientific team from standard laboratory practice. Illustrations: AMI Scientific. Updated: 06-11-2026.
Need a burette for your laboratory?
AMI Scientific supplies laboratory glassware, instruments and chemicals with tax invoices and delivery across Indonesia.
Available at AMI Scientific
Buret Kaca Keran Kaca Amber Kelas A Iwaki PA B-BURET
From Rp1.567.000