A balance is a type of scale.
It’s generally recommended for use in chemistry and physics courses.
Balances are most commonly used to weigh out small amounts of chemicals (solids, not liquids or gases) for use in solutions.
However, if you need greater precision, it’s worth it to learn how to use a triple beam balance. This balance measures mass, not weight, in grams (g).
Its name comes from the three (triple) beams which carry weights.
The beams look like rulers:
The maximum weight a triple beam balance can measure is 600 grams.
- The first beam can measure up to 10 grams.
- The second beam can measure up to 500 grams, read in 100 g increments.
- The third beam can measure up to 100 grams, read in 10 g increments.
Each beam has notches (e.g., grooves) for the weights. You must use them; otherwise you will not be able to record accurate measurements.
To get you started on easy and efficient use of your triple beam balance, here’s a few suggestions.
For Best Results with a Triple Beam Balance:
Before you weigh something, ‘zero‘ the balance. Do this by sliding back all the weight poises (that slide along the beams) so that the pointer is right at the zero line. You might need to turn the zero adjustment knob a little bit to get it right at the line.
When you set an object on the balance platform, the pointer immediately goes up and is no longer zeroed. To find out the weight of the object, you’ll need to slide the weight poises until the pointer is at zero again. Start with the two heavier weight poises and then use the lightest one to do the fine tuning.
The HST triple beam balance and the Ohaus model are accurate to 0.1 grams.
To read the weight of an object in grams, add up the number that each weight poise is at when the pointer zeroes.
For example, if the heaviest poise is at 100 g, the next one at 30 g, and the lightest one at 5.4 g, then the total weight of the object is 135.4 grams.
