How to Use the Triple Beam Balance

Key Words to Remember in this lesson Triple beam balance Rider Pan Pointer Zero point Mass Gram beam

Triple Beam Balance The triple beam balance is used to measure mass, or the amount of matter in an object. Mass is measured in units called grams. Larger masses would be measured in kilograms.

When carrying the balance you should…. make sure that all of the riders are back to the zero point . carry the balance using two hands.

Before using the Balance Zero the balance before you determine the mass of any substance. Slide all of the riders back to the zero point. You must repeat this procedure every time you use the balance in order to be acurate. You are now ready to measure the mass of your object. Place the object on the pan. Follow the following steps:

How to properly use a Triple Beam Balance: First Step: Move the 100 gram (the largest mass) rider along the beam to the right, one notch at a time, until the pointer drops below the zero balance point. Now, move the rider one notch back to the left.

How to properly use a Triple Beam Balance: Make sure the rider is in the notch! The arrow engraved in the 100 and 10 rider should be directly over the number.

How to properly use a Triple Beam Balance: Second Step: Move the 10 gram rider along the beam to the right, one notch at a time until the pointer drops below the zero balance point. When this happens, move the 10 gram rider back one notch to the left.

How to properly use a Triple Beam Balance: Third Step: The front beam has no notches.  Use the tip of your pencil to gently move the 1 gram (smallest) rider along the beam to the right until the point lines up with the zero balance mark. Final Step: To find the mass of the object on the pan, simply add the numbers from the three beams. Make sure you line up the decimals!

Example Hundred Rider ------- 200.0 Tens Rider ------------ 70.0 Ones Rider ----------- 1.5 Mass of object or substance 271.5 grams Remember to write your unit after your answer. There are “no naked numbers” in science. The unit tells the reader what you are measuring. Are you measuring distance, mass, volume, force, density, temperature?

How to Read a Triple Beam Balance EXAMPLE #1   · the hundreds rider is on the 0g mark, · the tens rider is on the 90g mark, · and the ones rider is on the ninth line past the 7g mark for a total of 97.9 grams. This is the mass of the object.

EXAMPLE # 2  · the hundreds rider is on the 400g mark, · the tens rider is on the 70g mark, · and the ones rider is on the first line past the 5g mark for a total of 475.1 g. This is the mass of the object.

Please be gentle with the triple beam balances. They cost $$$. When students have finished using the balances, they need to move all of the riders to the right so that the pointer is at zero. Please be gentle with the triple beam balances. They cost $$$.

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