Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Can you please tell me where the electronic balance comes in ; what is being measured with it? Is this something reasonably priced for purchase ,or do I need to find someone who already has one? thank you.

Hi Cheery,

An electronic balance is an expensive piece of lab equipment that is used to accurately measure the weight of items for laboratory experiments. Your school should have an accurate balance available if you need one.

What are you doing in your project? The accuracy of balance required depends on the experiment. I have helped with science projects using postage scales that are only accurate to 0.1 oz, or about 3 grams with good results. However, I've also advised on projects that required 0.01 gram accuracy. It really depends on what you are doing.

Donna Hardy

I am doing the project on your site that deals with food preservatives effects on microorganisms. Its in microbiology. I suppose i am to measure the preservative, but it did not specify. Thank you.

Hi Cheery,

This is a great project and there are lots of possible variations possible to make this a unique project. I think this is the project that you are doing:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p016.shtml

For this project, it would be best to have a balance that will weight to 0.01 gram accurately. Can you use the balance at school to weigh your preservatives? What preservatives are you going to use?

Donna Hardy