Changes in temperature affect the viscosity of water, and this affects the
settling rates of particles in suspension. Therefore, an analyst must maintain
a constant known temperature to obtain accurate results during a pipette
analysis.
The analyst may also find it advantageous to accelerate a pipette analysis by
elevating the temperature of the suspension. The most practical way to
control the temperature of the suspension during pipette analysis is with a
constant temperature bath.
A simple constant temperature bath can be constructed with
- a 20-gallon fish tank
- a rubber mat to protect the glass bottom of the tank
- and a recirculating water heater.
Effective insulating materials include 1-inch plastic balls to cover the water surface
and foam-core plastic boards to insulate the tank walls.