Experiment 1: Intro to the Analytical Balance

EXPERIMENT 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE ANALYTICAL BALANCE

Dumanew, Camille B., Galido, Noel Joseph M., Regacho, Geraldine Mae F.

Group #4 - Chem 26.1 hx

August 25, 2015

I. INTRODUCTION

The aptitude to accurately determine mass is very vital to all branches of science,

especially in analytical chemistry, a scientific discipline that develops and applies methods,

instruments, and strategies to obtain information on the composition and nature of matter in

space and time, as well as on the value of these measurements (Moore, 2002.) One of the most

fundamental measuring devices to measure mass or weight of reagents in the laboratory is the

balance. Laboratory balances are available in various types and function in either mechanical or

electronic means, but the balance considered the “backbone” of the clinical laboratory is the

analytical balance (Turgeon, 2015.) Therefore, it is very significant to have thorough knowledge

of the construction, design theory of operation, processes involved, and accuracy (and

understanding of the absolute precision in connection with the correct use and interpretation) of

the stated measure device.

The analytical balance has a maximum capacity that ranges from 1 g to several kilograms

and a precision at maximum capacity of at least 1 part in 105 (Skoog, 2014,) and is generally

divided into two types: manually operated (mechanical) and electronic (automatic.) Manually

operated analytical balances, such as the most common analytical balances (macrobalances) have

a maximum capacity ranging between 160 and 200 g. With these balances, measurements can be

made with a standard deviation of 60.1 mg. Semimicroanalytical balances have a maximum

loading of 10 to 30 g with a precision of 60.01 mg. A typical microanalytical balance has a

capacity of 1 to 3 g and a precision of 60.001 mg (1 μg) (Skoog, 2014.) In 1946, the first singlepan analytical balance was introduced, and was considered to be faster and more convenient than...