An Introduction to Education Scales and Balances

Choosing the right weighing tools for your classroom can be challenging. Education scales and school scales have to be versatile enough to accommodate various levels and curricular, and give you the flexibility to change experiments or add new ones. And of course, all of that has to be done on a tight budget. It can also be difficult to evaluate how complex the product must be, depending on your students’ abilities and learning needs. Should you use the same weighing balance for chemistry and physics classes? Are analytical balance models for college classrooms only, or can AP classes make use of them? This post takes a look at the various scales and balances that can be used for educational classes, and how they can compliment your classrooms.

Basic Education Weighing Tasks

These education balances and scales are for students who are learning the basics of weighing, such as correct procedure, how to use a scale or a balance, weighing units, how to calibrate a balance, how to weigh the object and record the results. The student would start off knowing little to nothing about weighing, and by the end of the year or semester, should be able to complete basic weighing tasks whether in the lab or at home.

Mechanical Balances

Triple beam balances are a staple in many classrooms thanks to a sturdy design that allows students to be curious without risking breaking the balance. Being mechanical, there is no electronic component that can be shorted or damaged, and it is highly resistant to spills, overloads and other accidents (still, ensure your students know proper weighing etiquette, and try not to test these limits). Mechanical balances can even help to perform density and specific gravity measurements, ensuring that you get more experiments and longer use out of it.

Take a look at our TBB mechanical balance.

Compact Balances

Compact balances are great for basic weighing tasks, whether it’s a beginner’s course in chemistry, cooking or even to weigh small animals. They are usually light in design, easy to transport, and simple to clean. Compact balances require no training and lets students start weighing almost immediately. Most offer both AC and battery power.

Adam’s Dune and CB compact balances are a great value for basic weighing.

Intermediate Science Classrooms

These scientific scales offer more features, can weigh smaller items with greater precision, and are meant for more science-based applications. It is assumed that the students already understand the basics of weighing (such as the tare key, units, proper recording, calibration etc...) and are ready to try on more specialised experiments in higher levels of science.  

Weighing tasks in both education and research labs might need an accumulation feature (do remember, these balances are made for small compounds and tiny quantities), percentage weighing and parts counting functions, for a greater variety of more complex experiments and tasks.

Education balances that are ideal for this group are most often portable laboratory scale models that may come with a draft shield for field applications in less than ideal conditions. Another valuable feature to look for is a hook for below balance weighing and density measurements.

Our Core and Highland precision balances are packed with features for intermediate weighing tasks.

Advanced Placement and University

These balances are meant for complex weighing tasks performed in laboratories and specialised science classes. They can measure very small quantities and are fine instruments that should be kept in appropriate conditions to ensure their longevity. The Nimbus and Eclipse series of analytical and precison balances are Adam’s solution to advanced weighing problems.

Analytical Balances

Analytical balances are made to measure very fine quantities with the most acute precision and accuracy possible. They are meant for laboratory work and they have data communication capabilities compatible with GLP to ensure results are properly recorded. They are often used in fields such as forensics, chemistry and biology and are sensitive to the conditions of their environments. As a result, analytical balances usually come with draft shields to protect the balance.  

Our Eclipse and Nimbus series both feature an analytical balance model with a wide range of features, capacities, and readabilities.

Precision Balances

Precision balances are also meant for small measurements, but they have a higher capacity with readabilities up to three decimal places. Their measurements are not quite as fine as analytical balances, but they are sturdy enough to be taken into the field and other demanding environments while still provide precision and accuracy. The precison balances are more varied, with various platform sizes for messy and bulky samples.

You can compare features on the Nimbus and Eclipse precision balances to see what is right for your classroom or lab.

Choosing the Right Balance

Your classroom and the weighing needs outlined in the curriculum will largely dictate which balance or scale is most appropriate. If you teach young children and have basic experiments, something like a mechanical balance or compact balance will do just fine. Take a careful look at the material list, as it will determine what capacity you should get, and how sturdy the balance or scale should be. Readability is important for science classes, as some will only require a small amount of precision (say, to 0.001g) while others will require absolute exactitude. If you mostly work in laboratories with students who use balances a lot, an analytical balance might be worth the extra cost. If you do a lot of field work, consider a more sturdy model or a wider platform. Usually, the more advanced the classes, the more expensive the balance. Wish to learn more about Adam’s education balances and scales? Browse our education page, or feel free to contact us.

We also offer a selection of education resources to help teachers set up classroom science experiments. Please visit our education resource page for more details.

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