Instructions: Draw the analytical balance. Label its parts.

1. Enumerate the Rules for Analytical Balance.

Close the balance door, while weighing an object, in order to prevent air currents from disturbing the
reading. When finished, the operator should close the balance door to prevent dust and dirt from
entering the balance. Only glass, ceramic, metal or plastic objects and containers should be placed in
direct contact with the balance pan. Do not handle objects to be weighed with bare hands. Moisture,
grease and dirt on your fingers will affect the weight of the object. To be weighed accurately, all
objects must be at the room temperature. Never weigh chemicals directly in contact with the balance
pan. Use containers such as beakers, flasks and weighing bottles. All objects and materials that have
recently been removed from a desiccator will absorb moisture and thereby gain weight. Therefore,
good practice to record weights after identical time intervals. For example, if you are taking crucibles
to constant weight. Always record the weight of the crucible exactly 5 seconds after having placed the
crucible on the balance pan. Using this technique it is possible to minimize the effect of moisture
absorption. The use of weighing paper must be strictly avoided when using an analytical balance. Do
not spill chemicals inside the balance enclosure. If spill occurs, clean it up immediately.
2. Discuss in detail (step-by-step) how you are going to weigh 1.55g of powder using the analytical
balance.

First, before weighing anything on analytical balance, it needs to be “tared”, or recalibrated to read
0.0000 g. Place the weighing container on the balance pan and close the doors. Tare the container by
briefly pressing the control bar. The readout will read zero with the container sitting on the pan. This
allows the mass of your sample to be read directly. Add the substance to be weighed using a spatula.
With the sample and its container sitting on the pan, close the camber doors and read the display to
find the mass of the sample until it reads 1.55 g.

Questions:

1. What is that one thing that you have to make sure of before even weighing using the analytical
balance?

The first thing that you must do and make sure when weighing using the analytical balance is to press
the “tared” button or recalibrated to read 0.0000 g.

2. Can you weigh liquid using the analytical balance? If yes, how?

Yes, a liquid can be weigh by using analytical balance. First, place the weighing container on the
balance pan and close the doors. Next, is make sure to tare the container by briefly pressing the
control bar. The readout will read zero with the container sitting on the pan. This allows the mass of
your sample to be read directly. Then, add the substance to be weighed. With the sample and its
container sitting on the pan, close the chamber doors and read the display to find the mass of the
sample.

3. What is the weighing capacity range of an analytical balance?

The analytical balance’s weighing capacity is in the range of 54-520 g and readability of 0.005 g – 0.1
mg

4. Enumerate and discuss the application/s of analytical balance in the quality control of
pharmaceuticals.
The analytical balance is utilized for the very precise measurements in the pharmaceutical industry. It
is applied in the quality control of the processes of the pharmaceutical production. Its purposes
include performance checking, measurement of uncertainty checking and the calibration frequency.

5. Define the following:

a. Tare

The act of removing a known weight of an object, usually the weighing container, to zero a scale. This
means that the final reading will be of the material to be weighed and will not reflect the weight of the
container. Most balances allow taring to 100% of capacity.

b. Calibration

The comparison between the output of a scale or balance against a standard value. Usually done with a
standard known weight and adjusted so the instrument gives a reading in agreement.

c. Capacity

The heaviest load that can be measured on the instrument.

d. Readability

This is the smallest division at which the scale or balance can be read. It can vary as much as 0.1g to
0.0000001g. Readability designates the number of places after the decimal point that the scale can be
read.