What is the function of a graduated cylinder?

In a chemistry laboratory, scientists use a graduated cylinder to get accurate measurements of liquid volume. Scientists use many different sizes of this measuring tool, depending on what they are measuring.

To get a measurement using a graduated cylinder, scientists look at the meniscus of the liquid and observe the lowest portion. Compared to the beakers and flasks that scientists use in a laboratory, these cylinders are usually more accurate for measuring the volume of a liquid. However, compared to a volumetric pipette or a volumetric flask, these cylinders are generally less precise and accurate at measuring the volume of a liquid.