Do temperature gradients exist in a water bath?
Yes, all water baths have hot spots and temperature gradients. The extent of the gradient depends on the design of the water bath. In some baths, for instance, the heating element is small or is not centrally located. In others, the heating element expands the entire surface of the bath providing a more uniform heating capacity. Bath Armor performs like water and the temperature gradient is very similar as well, usually +/- 2.5C. One advantage of Bath Armor is that a sample vessel can be completely submerged in the beads, eliminating exposure to surrounding air temperature.
