Tags – difference between balances and scales
There is a lot of confusion between balances and scales because many people use the terms interchangeably.
However, there is a big difference between the two: balance is used to measure mass, while a scale is used to measure weight.
And just to be clear, weight is the force of gravity on an object whereas mass determines the amount of matter in an object.
In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between balances and scales, and help you decide which one is right for your business!
What is a Weighing Scale?
The design of a weighing scale will vary between brands, but they all work by calculating weight by first measuring force.
And the measurement of force is a tension force that acts on an object and opposes the local influence of gravity, which is known as the constraint effect.
To put it simply, weighing scales input the force exerted by an object, but displays the result in mass.
For example, a spring scale uses this force measurement, whereby the spring either stretches (e.g. weighing scales at a supermarket) or compresses (e.g. a bathroom scale) when an object is placed on it.
And the spring’s stretch or compression will enable the scale to calculate the gravitational force applied by the thing, which is how your bathroom scale determines your weight.
Moreover, strain gauge load cells are used by other weighing instruments.
Simply, these are gadgets that, when a pressure is applied to them, compress, allowing the strain gauge’s electrical resistance to be measured. The resistance in this electrical circuit corresponds with the weight placed on the scale, and its change can be registered and converted to weight.
Generally, weighing scales are commonplace within the home, as well as commercial environments, like the food, manufacturing, construction, transport, and pharmaceutical industries.
The most typical functions are weighing components of meals, monitoring personal weight, checking in transit weigh-ins, and stock taking processes.
With a wide range of weighing scales available to cover virtually all applications, the most popular types include:
- Platform scales
- Food scales
- Health scales
- Pocket scales
- Coin counting scales
What is a Balance?
Balances, on the other hand, provide you with the mass of whatever you place on the balance’s platform; they use the same method that scales do to calculate this.
Balances, in particular, are generally equipped with a force restoration mechanism that opposes the weight of the material on the balance – the restoring force is what causes the object to return to equilibrium with a net force of zero.
Unlike scales, balances are more complicated and typically used more frequently in laboratories, universities, research centers, medical facilities and similar research environments, as they can generally be more precise.
Like scales, balances come in many forms, which include:
- Analytical balances
- Precision balances
- Industrial precision balances
- Micro and semi-micro balances
- Portable balances
How to Choose The Right Weighing Machine
When choosing between a balance or a scale, there are 4 key considerations to keep in mind:
- Readability: as a general rule, balances offer better readability than scales and are used to measure tiny increments
- Capacity: ensure the balance or scale you are considering has the weight capacity suitable for the items you’re looking to measure
- Cost: balances will typically cost much more than scales due to its level of precision and enhanced features
- Application: ensure any additional features are suitable for the job at hand; e.g. a kitchen scale would not be suitable in industrial applications
Wrapping Up
Simply, the main difference between a balance and a scale is what we’re actually measuring: mass versus weight.
However, this also leads to practical differences such as the mechanisms in which the different models work, the accuracy of their readings and the types of applications they can be used for.
What’s more, as their uses are similar and there is often crossover in terms of application, it’s likely there will always be cases where the two terms are used interchangeably.
For more information, please get in touch today.
In the meantime, take a look at our Industrial Weighing solutions here.
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