When transferring the urine output to a graduate, what should you do?

• A. Place graduate on a paper towel and read at eye level
• B. Read from above
• C. Read while container is on your knee
• D. Tilt container to see the meniscus

Answer: (A)

The key idea is reading the liquid at eye level to get an accurate measurement. When you place the graduated cylinder on a flat, stable surface (a paper towel can help keep it steady and catch spills) and look straight across to the level of the liquid, you see the bottom of the meniscus clearly. Reading from above, from the knee, or tilting the container changes how the liquid’s surface appears (parallax error), which can make the reading higher or lower than the true amount. So you read the measurement at the bottom of the meniscus with your eyes level to the liquid, ensuring an accurate urine output.