Graduated Cylinder

A graduated cylinder, which can be made of plastic or glass, is a hollow vessel used for measuring the approximate volume of substances in liquid or solid form. When using a graduated cylinder, proper measuring procedures must be followed. The cylinder should always be placed on a horizontal surface. The liquid level may appear distorted as a result of its interaction with the container walls (depending on whether the liquid wets the surface). When measuring water, the reading should be taken from the bottom of the meniscus. In the model, the curvature of the liquid surface is observable, along with two examples of parallax errors caused by viewing the scale from incorrect angles. Accurate measurements can only be made by looking at the liquid level from a position directly perpendicular to it. The scale on the cylinder is calibrated in milliliters (ml).