What is the primary purpose of beakers in laboratory settings?

Beakers play a fundamental role in laboratory settings primarily for mixing and holding samples. They are designed with a wide mouth and straight sides, making it easy to mix various substances with a stirring rod or directly with a shaker. The wide opening also facilitates the addition of solids and other materials without the risk of spilling, which is often enhanced by their relatively stable base that helps prevent tipping.

While beakers can be marked with graduation lines, they are not designed for precise volume measurements; that function is better served by more accurate glassware such as graduated cylinders or pipettes. Similarly, although beakers can be used for conducting chemical reactions or for filtering solutions in a more informal manner, they lack the specific design features for these purposes that other vessels like volumetric flasks or funnels provide. Hence, the main function of a beaker is effectively to serve as a container for mixing and holding various liquid samples during laboratory procedures.