An apparatus for weighing bodies.

Balance

An apparatus for weighing bodies.

This antique Roman balance from Pompeii has one pan that hangs from a rod.

Antique Roman balance from Pompeii

This antique Roman balance from Pompeii has one pan that hangs from a rod.

"This is a very convenient and quite accurate method of determining specific gravity." — Ford, 1912

Beam Balance

"This is a very convenient and quite accurate method of determining specific gravity." — Ford, 1912

"The most accurate method of determining the specific gravity of a mineral is by the use of a chemical balance. To one beam of the balance is suspended a wire basket which is so arranged that it can be immersed in a beaker of water. The basket is hung in the water and then counterbalanced by weights on the opposite pan of the balance. The mineral specimen to be tested, having been first weighed on the balance in the ordinary fashion, is now placed in the basket under the water and weighed again." — Ford, 1912

Chemical balance

"The most accurate method of determining the specific gravity of a mineral is by the use of a chemical…

An illustration of a precision balance.

Precision Balance

An illustration of a precision balance.

"A form of balance in which the weight of the body under examination is measured by the stretching (torsion) of an elastic wire in the form of a long spiral. A common use of the simple form of spiral balance is in determining the specific gravity of small fragments of minerals, which for this purpose are weighed first in the upper pan and then in that below, which is immersed in water." —Whitney, 1889

Spiral Balance

"A form of balance in which the weight of the body under examination is measured by the stretching (torsion)…

A bucket being used to weigh the milk production of a cow.

Weighing bucket

A bucket being used to weigh the milk production of a cow.

An illustration of an automatic coal weighing machine.

Automatic Coal Weighing Machine

An illustration of an automatic coal weighing machine.

An illustration of an automatic coal weighing machine.

Automatic Coal Weighing Machine

An illustration of an automatic coal weighing machine.

A small scale used for weighing silver, medicines, etc.

Dotchin

A small scale used for weighing silver, medicines, etc.

A scene from Hawthorne's "Grandfather's Chair." A young girl is on a large scale, being weighed for her portion in silver.

Grandfather's Chair

A scene from Hawthorne's "Grandfather's Chair." A young girl is on a large scale, being weighed for…

An illustration of judge putting a law book on a scale.

Judge

An illustration of judge putting a law book on a scale.

An illustration of an unequal-arm balance.

Unequal-arm Balance

An illustration of an unequal-arm balance.

"A cubic centimeter of water weighs 1 gram." — Avery, 1895

Water and scale

"A cubic centimeter of water weighs 1 gram." — Avery, 1895

An illustration showing that 1 milliliter of water weighs the same as a 1 gram.

Weight Measures

An illustration showing that 1 milliliter of water weighs the same as a 1 gram.