A spatula is a hand-held laboratory tool used for transferring and manipulating small quantities of solid or semi-solid materials, such as powders, crystals, or gels. It consists of a flat, narrow blade, usually made of metal or plastic, attached to a handle.

The blade is typically thin and flexible to allow for easy scraping and transferring of materials from one surface to another. Spatulas are commonly used in chemistry and biology laboratories for measuring and transferring small amounts of materials, such as reagents, samples, or culture media.

They are also used for mixing, stirring, and spreading materials on surfaces, such as Petri dishes or slides. Spatulas come in various shapes and sizes to fit different laboratory applications, including the flat spatula, the spoon spatula, and the micro spatula. Some spatulas may also have scoop-shaped or pointed tip for more precise handling of materials. They are an essential tool for laboratory work and are often sterilized between uses to prevent contamination of samples or experiments.