Final answer:
A vial is a small bottle with a rubber diaphragm that can be punctured by a needle, used for storing medications or samples while maintaining sterility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The small bottle with a rubber diaphragm that can be punctured by a needle is called a vial. This type of container is often used to store medications or samples in liquid form. The rubber diaphragm allows for the contents to be accessed by a syringe without opening the container, maintaining sterility and preventing contamination. A vial is different from an ampoule, which is a sealed glass container that must be broken to access the contents, and a dropper bottle, which is designed to dispense liquids in small amounts using a built-in dropper. A jar is usually not equipped with a diaphragm and is more common for storing solids or larger quantities of liquids.