Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Ensure that the counterbalance is properly calibrated by placing a weight of equal mass on each scale. If the counterbalance is out of calibration, balance the scales by adding the appropriate number of counterweights to the side with less mass. For example, if you place a 10-gram weight on each scale and the right side drops further, add 1-gram weights to the left side until the scales rest parallel to each other.
Remove all of the weights except for the additional counterweights you added for calibration. Place the object you wish to weigh on the same scale as the calibration weights.
Add your largest counterweights to the empty scale one by one until it falls beneath the level of the scale that contains the object being weighed. Remove the final weight so that the scale is once more biased to the side that contains the object being weighed.
Add smaller weights to the counterweight side of the scale until the scales rest parallel to each other. For example, if the mass of the object being weighed is 55 grams, add six 10-gram weights to the counterweight side of the scale. Then, remove the final 10-gram weight and add five 1-gram counterweights.
Remove all of the weights from the counterweight side of the scale. Add up the total mass of the weights and record this number. Subtract the mass of the calibration weights added to the side of the scale that features the object being weighed. The difference between these two numbers is the mass of the object.