What instrument measures mass?

Answer 1

A Beam balance (or Beam scale) is a device to measure weight or mass.

Answer 2

Traditionally a balance was used to measure mass. Objects of known or accepted mass was balanced against another object of unknown mass. When the balance was level the two pans had the same mass. The term balance or scales is still used even though there is no balance used. The scales were the pans that the objects sat on.

Now electronic balances are used that gauge the mass of the objects. While you can measure mass with a spring loaded scale, it is less accurate than a balance as it relies on a spring loaded to a specific acceleration of gravity for any given mass. A change in altitude will change the results given on the scale, due to the actual change in gravitational force (it is small at only about 0.031% error for every kilometer increase in altitude)*. A balance would experience no such change as the mass of an unknown quantity is compared to the mass of a known quantity, thus negating any effects of gravity.

Another instrument that measures mass is an inertial balance. An inertial balance doesn't require gravity to work, so it can be used in space. It measures the mass of an object by attaching it to a spring and seeing how it affects the spring's period of oscillation.

Very tiny masses can be measured directly (using a "massometer"). But we normally use scales, which measure weight, which is directly proportional to mass (a property of matter equal to its resistance to a change in speed or direction of travel). The mass of an object is the same everywhere in the universe. Its weight, however, changes depending upon its location: a Bowling ball has greater weight on the surface of the Earth than it does on the Moon. Great confusion arises when people interchange units of weight with units of mass. Scientists, particularly physicists, are very careful about not using the terms interchangeably, but regular folks have no choice for practical applications. For example, when you weigh a regulation ten-pin bowling ball, the scale will tell you it "weighs" between 4 and 7 (3.63 to 7.27 actually) kilograms, even though the kilogram is, technically speaking, a unit of mass, not weight.

You can also measure the mass of an object using a scale, as long as you factor in the gravitational constant (G). For instance, in an environment with only 1/2 the gravity of That on earth, you would have to double the weight displayed on the scale to determine the actual mass. As an example, 10Kg of lead in a 0.5G environment would only "weigh" 5Kg on a scale...half as much as on earth, even though its mass is unchanged.

Answer 3

there is no exact instrument to measure mass. Since mass is a scalar quantity and everything on earth is subject to the gravitational constant of 9.8m/s2, mass cannot be measured on earth unless inside a vacuum.

weight on the other hand (kg m/s2), is a vector quantity, (mass x gravitational constant) then we could just make use of a normal weighing scale and divide it by 9.8m/s2.

Example:

on the weighing scale, a 980kg (shorthand for kg m/s2 or Newtons) object has an actual mass of 100KG.

Answer 4

The mass I think you're looking for is not weight mass. I think you are looking for inertial mass which comes from the equation F = ma. It is a little more difficult to do, I have never had the opportunity to do it but the method appears to be sound.

An inertial balance is what can be used. It's like a diving board, and when you jump off, the diving board oscillates up and down. This is what you are looking for with the mass you are attempting to determine. The balance is 1st calibrated of course, with no added material. Then, quantities of known mass (from standards) is placed on the end of the balance. Usually an electromechanical mechanism with a specific force impulse causes the beam to vibrate. The number of vibrations are counted in a specific time interval.

From there you find the number of vibrations your sample has produced and then you correlate this with a graph calibrated for that particular inertial balance. It's just a simple method such as finding the 2 coordinates of a point in a two-dimensional graph. On one axis you will have number of vibrations, and on the other axis, mass numbers. Find a number of vibrations and then go perpendicular to your axis (90°) to the point where the vibration number touches the calibrated curve and then draw a straight the line perpendicular to the other axis, and where it meets this axis, that is the mass. So, it's not like just stepping on a scale

Answer 5

Mass is known as the amount of matter in an object. Many instruments are used to measure the mass of an object, such as the balances and scales are used. There are further many different types of balance, for example, digital scientific balance or the beam balance.

Answer 6

For the majority of everyday objects, a balance is used to determine an object's mass. The balance compares an object with a known mass to the object in question. Different types of balances include digital scientific balances and beam balances, such as a triple beam balance.

Answer 7

Occasionally, mass cannot be determined by using a balance. For measuring the mass of a liquid in a calibrated tank, scientists use transducers. A transducer measures mass properties of the liquid in a static state. The transducer sends a signal to a processor, which makes the mass calculations. An indicator, in turn, displays the mass. Taking the measured mass of liquid below the transducer and subtracting the mass of vapor, mass of a floating roof, mass of bottom sediment and water yields gross mass

Answer 8

There are several units by which mass can be measured; Where the unit of mass used varies according to the system of units used, there are two main systems of units, which are the American system of units, and the British system of units, and the following are units for both systems: grams.

/ milligrams./

centigram./

hectogram./

Megagram./

kilogram./

pound. /

whiting. /

ounces

Answer 9

Do you know what do You mean by mass, if no then leasen it very carefully, mass is the amount of matter contain in a body. Moreover, it’s SI uint is kg ( kilogram). Mass of a body depends upon number of molecules contained in the body and their Atomic Mass. In addition, one standard kg is defined as the mass of a cylinder, made from platinum iridium alloy kept at International Bureau of Weight and Measure near Paris. The object lighter than one kilogram is measured in gram, milligram, or microgram. The object heavier than one kilogram is measured in quintal or ton.

In simil manner, the mass of the body is measured by beam balance, physical balance, and top pan balance.

Answer 10

The beam balance, also known as the physical balance, was the first instrument used to measure solid mass. It has a pivoted horizontal lever with arms that are the same length. This is referred to as a beam. It has two pans, one for the normal weights and the other for the solid substance. In general, the unknown mass is put in the right pan and the regular pans in the left pan. We want to make the beam perfectly horizontal by balancing it. Calculate the total mass of the normal weights to determine the unknown substance's mass.