Scaletec’s Guide to Education Scales
We aren’t born knowing the difference between weight and mass, how to convert between weighing units or level a balance. We learn it all in school, with the help of dedicated teachers and the right weighing scales. This blog will go into which weighing scales are most beneficial from primary school to university.
Mechanical Balances
Mechanical balances like Adam’s TBB Triple Beam Balance are excellent for young primary school students to get a first idea of weight and mass. Because students slide the markers along the beams to distribute the weights and balance the item themselves, they’re playing an active role in the weighing process. Hands-on activities like using a TBB have been scientifically proven to increase understanding and test scores, as opposed to purely book learning!
Activities with Mechanical Balances
- Scavenger hunt – set a specific weight, like 100 grams, and have students attempt to collect items that add up to that weight. Closest wins!
- Comparisons – have each student choose two items, then have the class guess which one will be heavier. The students will weigh their items individually. Students who guess the correct answer get a point.
Compact Balances
Compact balances like Adam’s Dune, CB and CBX are the smallest form of digital balances. With capacities between 200g and 30kg and readabilities from 0.002g to 2g, they’re known for being relatively low-cost, remarkably portable and very simple to operate. This makes them an ideal choice for primary school classrooms, though their overall convenience often earns them a spot at all levels of education and beyond into the working world.
You can purchase more units for less cost, so fewer students need to share. They’ll have more time one-on-one with the machine, increasing retention. They can take them around the school or even home with them without worrying about an available power supply – keep a few spare batteries around and you’re all set. The few buttons available (Dune and CB feature just three each) practically flatten the learning curve, giving back valuable instruction time.
Activities with Compact Balances
- Conversions – Have students weigh an item in grams or kilograms, then have them convert the weight into other units of measurement manually. They can check their answers by changing the units on the scale later.
- Counting – Teach students that weight can also help them count. Have them weigh a small sample of identical items to get an average weight. Then, add more identical items and have them determine the count using the average weight of one piece.
Precision Balances
Precision balances are the next step up from compact balances. They’re more precise, with readabilities between 0.01g and 0.001g. They’re lent to higher-level experiments in secondary school and beyond. Precision balances with finer readabilities often have a draft shield. This is to protect your readings against wind or air flow, which become more disruptive the more precise the machine. The Highland HCB offers a removable draft shield, while some models of the Luna series come equipped with either no draft shield at all, or one that’s permanently attached.
Many precision balances also offer multiple built-in applications in addition to regular weighing. For example, parts counting, density determination, percentage weighing and dynamic/animal weighing. Students can use these to apply what they know about weight and mass to practical applications. Whether they end up working in a laboratory, warehouse, as a veterinarian or a baker, scales are crucial tools. Becoming familiar with the tasks that precision balances can help perform will give them a step up as they move into their careers.
Activities with Precision Balances
- Consistency – Test how plants respond to different salt levels in their water. Each sample should have the same weight of soil, seeds and water. Only the weight of the salt changes between samples, but it should remain consistent for each watering within that test group. Students should understand this is important for consistent experimentation in their later scientific education and careers.
- Density – Have students weigh an object in the air, then submerged under-water using under-balance weighing or a density determination kit. If density determination is built-in, they can use the balance to calculate the density. If not, they can learn and use the proper formulas manually.
Analytical & Semi-Micro Balances
Analytical balances are highly precise, highly sensitive balances that would be best utilised (and are most commonly found) at the university level, due to their initial expense and higher upkeep. Analytical balances typically offer readabilities as fine as 0.0001g, while semi-micro balances boast 0.00001g readabilities. Adam’s Solis laboratory balances are floating range, which means that certain models act as both semi-micro and analytical balances depending on how much weight is on the pan. Adam Equipment has a blog about floating range that you can read here.
Due to their fine readabilities, Analytical and Semi-Micro Balances must be used in a well-equipped laboratory. This includes calibration weights (for those without internal calibration), and anti-vibration tables to help mitigate drifting and jumping results caused by external movement.
What Can Analytical & Semi-Micro Balances Be Used for?
Since we’re at the University level, students will have progressed beyond simple classroom activities to contributing to actual scientific research. Within that research, students would likely use a semi-micro or analytical balance in the following ways:
- Weighing reagents for microbiology
- Performing materials testing
- Measuring pharmaceutical samples
- Preparing standard solutions for chemistry
Moisture Analysers
Moisture analysers like Adam Equipment’s PMB are machines that can determine the moisture content in a sample. It does this by weighing the sample, then heating it up until it’s dry, weighing it repeatedly throughout the process. After a set amount of time or when the weight stops changing, indicating there’s no more moisture (whichever comes first), the analyser will calculate the final moisture percentage. This is called “loss on drying” and it’s much quicker and less wasteful than the traditional oven drying method.
University students would be most likely to use a moisture analyser in a laboratory setting to test samples. However, those employed in an apprenticeship may find that they’re used for materials testing and agricultural purposes as well.
Purposes for Moisture Analysers
- Moisture analysis on soil - comparing moisture percentages across soil types and regions to determine the best method of farming
- Testing pharmaceuticals - for how they react to different levels of moisture in order to determine shelf life and efficacy
Scales and balances are tools that will follow many students throughout their lives. Whether they find themselves in a laboratory, a warehouse, farming or retail, having practice with the right scale will make all the difference.
Need help deciding which scale or balance is right for your classroom? Contact the Scaletec team, we’ll be happy to help.