A glass buret and a pipette are both laboratory instruments used for measuring and transferring liquids, but they differ in design, function, and application.
A glass buret is a long, cylindrical tube with a stopcock at the bottom. It is used primarily for titration, a process to determine the concentration of a solution. The buret allows for the precise delivery of variable volumes of liquid, typically in increments as small as 0.01 mL. The stopcock controls the flow of liquid, enabling the user to release the liquid drop by drop. Burets are usually mounted on a stand and are read from the top down, with graduations marked along the length of the tube.
A pipette, on the other hand, is a tool used to transport a measured volume of liquid. Pipettes come in various types, such as volumetric, graduated, and micropipettes. Volumetric pipettes are designed to deliver a single, specific volume with high accuracy, while graduated pipettes can measure and transfer different volumes, though with less precision than volumetric pipettes. Micropipettes are used for very small volumes, often in the microliter range. Pipettes are typically used for transferring liquids from one container to another and are operated manually or with a pipette aid.
In summary, the main differences lie in their use and precision: burets are used for titration and allow for precise, adjustable liquid delivery, while pipettes are used for transferring specific or variable volumes of liquid, with varying levels of precision depending on the type.