Final answer:
In a chemistry lab, the content of a reaction flask typically includes solvents, reagents, and sometimes water, influenced by the nature of the experiment. Special equipment like a heating mantle is used for temperature control. The reaction's heat changes are measured in calorimetry experiments using a reaction flask submerged in water.
Step-by-step explanation:
What to Put in a Reaction Flask for a Lab
In a chemistry lab, typically what you put in a reaction flask can include solvents, reagents, and sometimes water or other substances, depending on the experiment. The reaction flask itself is part of the apparatus used during a chemical reaction and can be coupled with other equipment like a heating mantle, which is used to evenly heat the flask during experiments where temperature control is crucial.
For instance, when you are preparing a solution, you would weigh the appropriate mass of solute and dissolve it in a solvent inside a volumetric flask. The solvent is often water, especially if the solute is water-soluble. For reactions that require heating, the reaction flask would be placed on a heating mantle. During a distillation process, the distilling flask would contain the solution you are trying to purify, while the receiving flask would eventually hold the distilled solvent.
Moreover, in calorimetry experiments to measure heat produced or absorbed during a reaction, the reaction flask, often referred to as a "bomb" in a bomb calorimeter, is submerged in water, and the change in water temperature helps determine whether the reaction is endothermic or exothermic.