What is "glovebox"

n. 1 The small storage compartment on the passenger's side of an automobile 2 A sealed container that is designed to allow one to manipulate objects while being in a different atmosphere from the object

A glovebox (or glove box) is a sealed container that is designed to allow one to manipulate objects where a separate atmosphere is desired. Built into the sides of the glovebox are gloves arranged in such a way that the user can place their hands into the gloves and perform tasks inside the box without breaking containment. Part or all of the box is usually transparent to allow the user to see what is being manipulated. Two types of gloveboxes exist: one allows a person to work with hazardous substances, such as radioactive materials or infectious disease agents; the other allows manipulation of substances that must be contained within a very high purity inert atmosphere, such as argon or nitrogen. It is also possible to use a glovebox for manipulation of items in a vacuum chamber.