Measuring Cylinder
Measuring cylinder use, accuracy, meniscus reading, and volume ranges for IGCSE Chemistry 0620, with common errors and Paper 6 marking points.
Published by IGCSEChemistry.com.my
Chemistry teaching team: K. S. Tan (15+ years teaching IGCSE Chemistry) and Ms Yash (10+ years teaching IGCSE Chemistry) and Ms Kartini (15+ years teaching IGCSE Chemistry).
Mapped to Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry 0620 (2026–2028). Last updated 2026-08-19.
Description and sizes
A measuring cylinder is a tall, narrow, cylindrical container with a flat base and a spout for pouring. It is graduated with horizontal lines at regular intervals, with numbers printed at major divisions.
Common sizes in IGCSE laboratories:
| Size | Typical graduations | Reading accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| 10 cm3 | Every 0.2 cm3 | +/- 0.1 cm3 |
| 25 cm3 | Every 0.5 cm3 | +/- 0.25 cm3 |
| 50 cm3 | Every 1 cm3 | +/- 0.5 cm3 |
| 100 cm3 | Every 1 cm3 | +/- 0.5 cm3 |
| 250 cm3 | Every 2 cm3 | +/- 1 cm3 |
Rule of thumb: Choose the smallest measuring cylinder that fits the volume you need. Measuring 8 cm3 in a 10 cm3 cylinder is more precise than in a 100 cm3 cylinder.
How to use
- Place the measuring cylinder on a flat, level surface.
- Pour the liquid in slowly. For small volumes, use a dropper or wash bottle for the final adjustment.
- Wait a few seconds for the liquid to settle and the meniscus to form.
- Lower your eye to the level of the liquid surface. Look horizontally, not from above or below.
- For water and aqueous solutions: read the volume at the bottom of the concave meniscus (the dip in the middle).
- Record the reading to the nearest graduation or half-graduation, depending on the cylinder’s markings.
Reading the meniscus
Water and most aqueous solutions form a concave (U-shaped) meniscus in glass because water is attracted to the glass surface. The correct reading is taken at the lowest point of the curve.
If the liquid is mercury or certain organic solvents, the meniscus is convex (dome-shaped), and the reading is taken at the top of the curve. This is rarely encountered at IGCSE level.
Common errors
Parallax error: Looking down at the meniscus reads too high. Looking up reads too low. Only a horizontal line of sight gives the correct reading.
Wrong-sized cylinder: Measuring 5 cm3 in a 250 cm3 cylinder gives a reading with large uncertainty relative to the volume. Use a 10 cm3 or 25 cm3 cylinder instead.
Reading the top of the meniscus: For water, the correct reading is at the bottom of the meniscus, not where the liquid meets the glass (which is higher).
Not placing on a flat surface: A tilted cylinder gives a falsely high or low reading depending on where you look.
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