Magnetic stirrers are popularly used in laboratories for carrying out experiments. These units consist of a rotating magnet and a stationary electromagnet. The two create a rotating magnetic field which triggers a stir bar contained in liquid to spin and stir solutions quickly. Here are some other things you need to know about magnet stirring.
How Do They Work?
The majority of magnetic stirrers that you will find nowadays rotate the magnets by means of an electric motor. This makes them some of the simplest equipment to use for mixture preparation. Magnetic stirrers are silent. Unlike mechanical agitators, this makes it possible to stir closed systems without having to isolate them. Because of their size, magnetic stirrers can only be used with solutions that are below four liters.
In addition, they also won’t function well when used to mix viscous liquid and dense solutions. Apart from being highly efficient, magnetic stirrers are quite easy to clean and sterilize once you are done using them.
Components of A Magnetic Stirrer Setup
A magnetic stirrer comprises stationary magnetic that’s used to create a magnetic field. It also comes with a magnetic bar that’s used to agitate a liquid mixture. In most instances, magnetic bars are usually coated with Teflon or glass. This is done to ensure that they are inert and won’t end up reacting with the components in mixtures.
Most of the chemical reactions that involve magnetic stirrers are carried out using glass containers like vials and beakers. This is because glass does not affect a magnetic field significantly. Apart from the containers, and the magnetic stirrers themselves, setups with magnetic stirrers can also comprise a heat source like a hot plate, depending on the type of experiment being carried out. These are some things you may need to know about magnetic stirrers and how they are used.