balance

balance, instrument used in laboratories and pharmacies to measure the mass or weight of a body. A balance functions by measuring the force of gravity that the earth exerts on an object, i.e., its weight. Since the mass of an object is directly proportional to its weight, a balance can also be used to measure mass.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Accuracy of Balances
• The Spring Balance
• The Unequal-Arm Balance
• The Equal-Arm Balance

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