Laboratory

Michael Faraday, 19th century physicist and chemist, in his lab.

Biochemistry laboratory at the University of Cologne.

A laboratory (lab for short) is a work place where scientific research, experiments, or measurement are done.

The word laboratory is also used for other places where the work done or equipment used are like those in scientific laboratories. These include:

• a film laboratory or photographic laboratory
• a computer lab
• a medical lab
• a clandestine lab for making illegal drugs

Scientific laboratories can be found in schools and universities, in hospitals, in industry, in government or military facilities, and even aboard ships and spacecraft.