DENSITY
Triple Beam Balance
It's important to know how to measure the mass of an object using a triple beam balance. First, you must zero the balance before placing your object on it. Otherwise your results will not be accurate. When you mass an object using a triple beam balance, you must move all three weights until the balance is again at zero. Then, to determine the mass, you must add all three weights together to get the mass of the object in grams.
For practice, click on the triple beam balance below.
Mass
Mass is the amount of matter in an object. When we measure mass, we use either a triple beam balance or a digital scale. When using mass to determine density, we measure in units call grams, which is abbreviated "g."
Digital Scale
Digital scales are easier to use when compared to triple beam balances. When using a digital scale, you must ensure that you zero the scale prior to massing the object. Sometimes this is called "paring" on the digital scale. And since digital scales can measure in units other grams, it's important to make sure that the digital scale is set to measure in grams.