Plate Shaker vs Orbital Shaker, What is the difference?
A plate shaker and an orbital shaker are both laboratory equipment used to mix or agitate samples, but they work in different ways.
A plate shaker is a device that sits on a laboratory bench and uses a reciprocating motion to shake samples that are placed on a flat platform. This type of shaker is commonly used to mix liquids or grow cultures in petri dishes.
A plate shaker is needed in a laboratory for several reasons:
- Mixing and agitation: Plate shakers use a reciprocating motion to shake samples that are placed on a flat platform. This type of shaker is commonly used to mix liquids or grow cultures in petri dishes. The reciprocating motion ensures that all the particles are evenly mixed and suspended, which is important for many laboratory procedures such as growing bacterial cultures, preparing media, and chemical reactions.
- Incubation: Plate shakers are often used to grow and maintain bacterial cultures in a laboratory setting. The reciprocating motion of the shaker provides a gentle agitation that keeps the cells suspended in the culture medium and helps to distribute nutrients and oxygen evenly.
- Consistency: Using a plate shaker ensures consistency in the mixing of the samples, this is particularly useful in experiments that require precise and consistent mixing of the samples.
- Efficient: Plate shakers can mix large volumes of samples at a faster rate than manual mixing or other types of shakers, thus increasing the efficiency of laboratory procedures.
- Versatility: Plate shakers are versatile, can be used in various fields of research such as microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and more.
An orbital shaker, on the other hand, uses a circular motion to shake samples that are placed in a container. This type of shaker is commonly used to mix powders or suspended solids in a liquid. Orbital shakers can also be used for cell culture, staining, and other laboratory applications.
An orbital shaker is needed in a laboratory for several reasons:
- Mixing and agitation: Orbital shakers are commonly used to mix powders or suspended solids in a liquid. The circular motion of the shaker ensures that all the particles are evenly mixed and suspended, which is important for many laboratory procedures such as cell culture, staining, and chemical reactions.
- Incubation: Orbital shakers are often used to grow and maintain cell cultures in a laboratory setting. The circular motion of the shaker provides a gentle agitation that keeps the cells suspended in the culture medium and helps to distribute nutrients and oxygen evenly.
- Consistency: Using an orbital shaker ensures consistency in the mixing of the samples, this is particularly useful in experiments that require precise and consistent mixing of the samples.
- Efficient: Orbital shakers can mix large volumes of samples at a faster rate than manual mixing or other types of shakers, thus increasing the efficiency of laboratory procedures.
In summary, plate shakers are used for mixing liquids or growing cultures in petri dishes, while orbital shakers are used for mixing powders or suspended solids in a liquid.
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