Triple Beam Balance

Graduated Cylinder

Ruler (metric)

Ruler (standard)

Meter Stick

Spring Scale

Thermometer

Adapted/Revised from the following website:

http://www.sciencewithmrjones.com/handouts.shtml#design

Lab Equipment Overview

Triple Beam Balance(Overview)

• Used to measure mass

• Unit of measure: gram (g)

PanBalance/Zero

Mark

Zero Adjustment

Knob(below pan)

3 Riders/Movable Masses(top-down = tens, hundreds, ones)

1. Place the balance on a flat, level surface.2. Move all sliders to the left (zero).3. Determine if the pointer is at the zero mark. If at the zero mark

move to step five – if not at the zero mark, complete step four. This should be done at eye level.

4. Turn the zero adjustment knob counter-clockwise (up) to have the pointer move upward or turn the knob clockwise (down) to have the pointer move downward – this knob should be adjusted until the pointer is at the zero mark.

5. Place the object on the pan.6. Move the largest slider (hundreds) to the right until the pointer falls

below zero – you should feel the slider click as it moves along. The slider must be “clicked” into place in order to get accurate measurements. You should move the slider one notch back after the pointer falls below zero.

7. Repeat step six with the tens slider.8. Move the ones slider to the right until the pointer is at the zero

mark.9. Determine the object’s mass, in grams, by totaling the numerical

values highlighted by the hundreds, tens, and ones sliders.

Triple Beam Balance(How to Use)

Triple Beam Balance (Example)

• What is the mass of the object being measured by the triple beam balance if the sliders/movable masses have the shown positions?

0 g (hundreds)

30 g (tens)

2 g (ones)+

32 g

Graduated Cylinder(Overview)

• Used to measure volume• Unit of measure: milliliter (mL)• Come in a variety of sizes • Value of graduated markings,

or lines, change as the size of the graduate changes

• Using the smallest possible graduated cylinder typically results in more accurate measurements

Each of these lines represent graduated markings

Graduated Cylinder(Graduated Markings)

• To accurately determine volume when using a graduated cylinder, it is important to figure out the value of each graduated marking

• To do this:1. Calculate the difference

between two printed numbers

2. Count the number of divisions between them

3. Divide the difference (#1) by the number of divisions (#2).

In this case, the difference between 80 and 70 mL is 10 mL. If I then count the number of divisions between those two numbers I get 10. If I divide the 10 mL by the 10 divisions I get 1 mL per line.

What is the value of

each line?

Graduated Cylinder(Meniscus)

• The meniscus is the curved line that the liquid makes inside of the graduated cylinder as a result of the adhesion and cohesion properties of the liquid

For this example, the volume of the liquid would be 62 mL since the bottom of the

meniscus falls on the 62 mL mark.

Meniscus

If each graduated marking has a value of 1 mL, what would be the volume of the liquid if you read the graduated cylinder from the bottom

of the meniscus?

Graduated Cylinder (How to Use - Liquids)

1. Select the smallest possible graduated cylinder that can accommodate the amount of liquid you will be measuring.

2. Determine the value of each graduated marking, or line, found on the graduated cylinder – knowing this will help you determine the volume.

3. Place the graduated cylinder on a flat, level surface.4. Carefully pour the liquid into the graduated cylinder

without spilling any.5. Measure the level of the water by looking at the

bottom of the meniscus. This should be done at eye level.

Graduated Cylinder (Example)

• What is the volume of the liquid in the graduated cylinder?

Meniscus

Since each graduated marking is equivalent to 1

mL, the volume of the liquid in the graduated

cylinder is 48 mL

Graduated Cylinder (Water Displacement - Overview)

• Water displacement is a process by which a graduated cylinder is used to determine the volume of a solid object, particularly one that is irregularly shaped.

• The volume is calculated by observing the amount of water displaced by the submerged object.

Initial Volume (water) Final Volume (water + rock)

Meniscus

Notice how the water level rose after the object was placed in.

This rise of the water helps you figure out the

object’s volume.

Graduated Cylinder (How to Use – Water Displacement)

1. Select the smallest possible graduated cylinder that can accommodate the object you will be measuring.

2. Determine the value of each graduated marking, or line, found on the graduated cylinder – knowing this will help you determine the volume.

3. Fill the graduated cylinder with enough water to adequately submerge the irregularly shaped object you will be measuring. However, do not fill it so much that water will rise past the graduated cylinder’s graduations when placing the irregularly shaped object in.

4. Place the graduated cylinder on a flat, level surface.5. Measure the level of the water by looking at the bottom of the meniscus

and record the volume (initial). This should be done at eye level.6. Carefully place the irregularly shaped object into the graduated cylinder.

This can be done by angling the graduated cylinder and allowing the object to gently slide down the side into the water.

7. Measure the new level of the water by looking at the bottom of the meniscus and record the volume (final). This should be done at eye level.

8. Calculate the volume of the irregularly shaped object by subtracting the initial volume (measured in step five) from the final volume (measured in step seven).

Graduated Cylinder (Water Displacement - Example)

• What is the volume of the rock in the graduated cylinder?

Initial Volume (water) Final Volume (water + rock)

Meniscus

28 mL 38 mL

38 mL (final volume)28 mL (initial volume)-

10 mL or 10 cm3

Ruler (metric)(Overview)

• Used to measure length/distance

• Units of measure: centimeters (cm), millimeters (mm)

• Markings– Each small (unnumbered) line is a millimeter division

– Each long line followed by a number is a centimeter division

– 10 millimeters in a centimeter 1 mm 1 cm

Important – this is only a portion of a ruler

1. Choose an object to measure and place it on a flat surface.

2. Align the ruler to the side of the object with the beginning of the object at the zero mark. Be careful, some rulers have the zero mark at the starting edge and some have a zero mark slightly indented.

3. Locate the opposite edge of the object and read the last number on the ruler where the object ends.

Ruler(How to Use)

Ruler (metric)(Example)

• What is the length (millimeters and centimeters) of the object below?

37 mm

3.7 cm

What is the relationship between your two answers?

1. Choose an object to measure and place it on a flat surface.

2. Align the ruler to the side of the object with the beginning of the object at the zero mark. Be careful, some rulers have the zero mark at the starting edge and some have a zero mark slightly indented.

3. Locate the opposite edge of the object and read the last number on the ruler where the object ends.

Ruler(How to Use)

Meter Stick(Overview)

• Used to measure length/distance

• Units of measure: meter (m), centimeter (cm), millimeter (mm)

• Markings– Each small (unnumbered) line is a millimeter division

– Each long line followed by a number is a centimeter division

– 10 millimeters in a centimeter

– 100 centimeters in a meter

Important – this is only a portion of a meter stick

1 mm 1 cm

How many millimeters are in a meter?

1. Choose an object to measure and place it on a flat surface.

2. Align the meter stick to the side of the object with the beginning of the object at the zero mark. Be careful, some meter sticks have the zero mark at the starting edge and some have a zero mark slightly indented.

3. Locate the opposite edge of the object and read the last number on the meter stick where the object ends.

Meter Stick(How to Use)

Meter Stick (Example)

• What is the length (in meters, centimeters, and millimeters) of the object below?

0.246 m

24.6 cm

246 mm

Tubular Spring Scale(Overview)

• Used to measure weight• Units of measure: newton (N), gram (g)• Dependent on gravity• Come in a variety of

measurement capabilities (100g/1 N – 10,000g/100 N) -usually indicated by different colors for tubular scales

• Value of graduated markings, or lines, vary with the spring scale’s capacity

• Using a spring scale with the smallest possible capacity typically results in more accurate measurements

Ring

Pointer

Graduated Markings

Hook

Spring

AdjustmentNut

1. Select a spring scale with the smallest possible capacity that can accommodate, or measure, the weight of your object.

2. Determine what scale you will be using (newtons or grams).3. Similar to when using a graduated cylinder, determine the value

of each graduated marking, or line, found on the spring scale –knowing this will help you determine the weight.

4. Hang the ring of the spring scale on a sturdy object such as a ring stand (with clamp) if possible.

5. Determine if the pointer is at the zero mark. If at the zero mark move to step seven – if not at the zero mark, complete step six. This should be done at eye level.

6. Zero the spring scale by turning the adjustment nut at the top clockwise to raise the pointer and counter-clockwise to lower the pointer – the nut should be adjusted until the pointer is at the zero mark.

7. Carefully hang the object on the hook.8. Measure the object’s weight by reading where the pointer falls

on the scale. This should be done at eye level.

Tubular Spring Scale(How to Use)

Tubular Spring Scale (Example)

• What weight (in newtons) is being displayed by the spring scale?

Since each graduated marking is equivalent to 0.5 N, the weight being displayed by the spring

scale is 6 N.

Thermometer(Overview)

• Used to measure temperature• Units of measure: Celsius (0C),

Fahrenheit (0F), Kelvin (K) • Relies on the expansion and

contraction property of fluids – this is why the fluid (alcohol) rises as the temperature goes up and falls as the temperature goes down

• Celsius and Fahrenheit scales meet at – 40 degrees

• Relationships between scales:– 0C = 5/9 (0F – 32)– 0F = 9/5 0C + 32– K = 0C +273

Notes in Notebook…

1. Zero out scale-move all sliders to left, make sure pointer at zero mark.

2. Place object on pan. Move sliders accordingly starting with the largest slider. Sliders need to “click” into place.

3. To determine mass total the values in the hundreds, tens, and ones places after the pointer is at zero.

Notes in Notebook…

What’s the value of each line?

1. Calculate the difference between the two printed numbers.

2. Count the numbers of divisions between them.

3. Divide the difference (#1) by the number of divisions (#2)

Graduated Cylinder

Notes in Notebook…

Volume of an irregularly shaped object:

Final Volume (#2)-Initial Volume (#1)

Volume of irregular shaped object

Notes in Notebook…

1 cm1 mm

Red line measures _____________ cm

_________ __cm = ____________mm

Reading a metric ruler or meter stick

Notes in NotebookSpring Scale

• Used to measure weight

• Units of measure: newton (N), gram (g)

• Dependent on gravity

• Carefully hang the object on the hook.

• Measure the object’s weight by reading where the pointer falls on the scale. This should be done at eye level.

• Make pointer is on zero at eye level before you begin.