callicom said:
i bought an electric frying pan and thought i could boil water in it and have my solutions in a pyrex to heat up. does this make sence or should i get a propane heater :?: or hot plate :?: or is my electric frying pan allright :?: (even if it doesn`t soubd too scientific)
Actually, I have learned to love using electric skillets for heating solutions. They are very controllable, especially if you buy one with a continuous control - as opposed to one with step control (say, only low, medium, high - not nearly as good). I put the beaker in a Pyroceram or Visions Corning Ware dish (about the only ceramic dishes on the market that won't break with direct heat - there are lots of them on eBay) and then put the dish in the skillet. You could put the beaker directly in the skillet but, if you have any spills or, if the beaker breaks, you will surely attack the aluminum that most of these are made from. Standard Pyrex dishes used in the kitchen will likely break, so either use a beaker or a Pyrex coffee pot.
Although I have used sand baths a lot in the past, I'm not a big fan of them. I still use them, but only when I want to safely (or, at least, more safely) get something real hot - like when heating concentrated sulfuric to 400-500 F. When you do have a spill or breakage (I've had it happen), it's a real pain to recover any values from the sand. Also, when the sand gets very dry from the heat, sand grains tend to climb up and cling to the beaker - static electricity, I guess. Then, you have to deal with these clinging grains of sand and try to keep them out of your solution.