Republic of the Philippines

SOUTHERN LEYTE STATE UNIVERSITY –

HINUNANGAN CAMPUS
Hinunangan, Southern Leyte 6608

Exercise No. 2
Introduction to Analytical Balance

Introduction:

The analytical balance is a fundamental measuring device for all types of quantitative
work in analytical chemistry. In most analyses, an analytical balance must be used to measure
masses with high accuracy.

Types of Analytical Balances

An analytical balance is an instrument for determining mass with a maximum capacity
that ranges from 1 g to a few kilograms with a precision of at least 1 part in 105 at maximum
capacity. The precision and accuracy of many modern analytical balances exceed 1 part in 10 6
at full capacity.
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 ±0.1 mg. Semimicroanalytical balances have a maximum loading of 10
to 30 g with a precision of ±0.01 mg. A typical microanalytical balance has a capacity of 1 to
3 g and a precision of ±0.001 mg (1 μg).
Electronic balances generally feature an automatic taring control that causes the display
to read zero with a container (such as a boat or weighing bottle) on the pan. Most balances
permit taring up to 100% of the capacity of the balance. Some electronic balances have dual
capacities and dual precisions. These features permit the capacity to be decreased from that of
a macrobalance to that of a semimicrobalance (30 g) with a corresponding gain in precision to
0.01 mg. These types of balances are effectively two balances in one.

Objectives:
To identify the different types of analytical balances
To determine the correct usage of analytical balances

Precautions in Using an Analytical Balance

An analytical balance is a delicate instrument that you must handle with care. Consult
with your instructor for detailed instructions on weighing with your particular model of
balance. Observe the following general rules for working with an analytical balance regardless
of make or model:

1. Center the load on the pan as well as possible.

 2. Protect the balance from corrosion. Objects to be placed on the pan should be limited
to nonreactive metals, nonreactive plastics, and vitreous, or glasslike materials.
3. Observe special precautions (see additional precaution) for the weighing of liquids.
4. Consult your instructor if the balance appears to need adjustment.
5. Keep the balance and its case scrupulously clean. A camel’s-hair brush is useful for
removing spilled material or dust.
6. Always allow an object that has been heated to return to room temperature before
weighing it.
7. Use tongs, finger pads, or a glassine paper strip to handle dried objects to prevent
transferring moisture to them.

Additional Precautions

Weighing Hygroscopic Solids

Hygroscopic substances rapidly absorb moisture from the atmosphere and, therefore,
require special handling. You need a weighing bottle for each sample to be weighed. Place the
approximate amount of sample needed in the individual bottles and heat for an appropriate
time. When heating is complete, quickly cap the bottles and cool in a desiccator. Weigh one of
the bottles after opening it momentarily to relieve any vacuum. Quickly empty the contents of
the bottle into its receiving vessel, cap immediately, and weigh the bottle again along with any
solid that did not get transferred. Repeat for each sample and determine the sample masses by
difference.

Weighing Liquids
The mass of a liquid is always obtained by difference. Liquids that are noncorrosive
and relatively nonvolatile can be transferred to previously weighed containers with snugly
fitting covers (such as weighing bottles). The mass of the container is subtracted from the total
mass.

Materials
Analytical balance, vial with cap

Method
1. Learn the parts of a balance. Familiarize yourself with the balance controls, knife
edges, the beam damping arrangement, the weights, the mechanism used to remove the weights
from the beam.
2. Determine the zero point and the sensitivities for various loads.
3. Determine the weight of a clean, dry vial (without cap) to within 0.1 mg. Record all
weighings directly in your laboratory notebook.
4. Determine the weight of the cap to within 0.1 mg.
5. Determine the total weight of the vial plus cap to within 0.1 mg. Compare this result
with the sum of the separate weighings of the vial and the cap to see how closely the weights
agree.
6. Reweigh the vial minus the cap to see how reproducible this weight is.
 7. Roll the vial around in your hand, i.e., handle it and finger it. Then reweigh and
compare the weight with the previous results. Next wipe the vial clean with a dry lint-free cloth
or with laboratory tissues, reweigh it and compare the weights with the results in step 3.
8. Hold the vial an inch from your mouth and breathe on it several times. Reweigh and
compare again with step 3.
9. Place the vial in a drying oven for two or three minutes. Remove the vial from the
oven with your thongs and reweigh while it is warm. Take the weight of the vial every 10
minutes till it reaches a balanced temperature.

Guide questions for discussion

1. Based on the weights obtained, what can you conclude about the reproducibility of results
made with the balance?
2. List some possible sources of errors in weighing and give an estimate of the size of error.
3. Describe in simple terms the whole process of analytical weighing.

Reference:
Skoog, D.A., West, D.M., Holler, F.J., Crouch, S.R. 2016. Fundamentals of Analytical
Chemistry, 9th edition. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd., Taguig City, Philippines