Analytical Balance

Types of Weighing
• Rough weighing
Weighing solutes for the preparation of standard solutions
Top loading balance & triple beam balance (uncertainty: 0.01 –
0.001 g)

• Accurate weighing
Weighing primary standards (high accuracy is required)
Analytical balance (uncertainty: 0.0001 g)
Two-Pan (Equal Arm) Analytical Balance
• Direct comparison method

• Sample on one pan and standard

weights on the other pan

• Standard weights are added until

the beam is balanced
Single-pan Balance
• Substitution method

WEIGHT OF OBJECT = WEIGHT OF THE WEIGHT

SUBTRACTED FROM THE STANDARD SET
Advantages of the Single-Pan Balance
 Convenient & rapid to use

 Weight of an object can be determined in a matter of

seconds

 Sensitive because the load on both sides remains constant

Electronic Analytical Balance

Current required to keep the pan & object in the null

position is directly proportional to the mass of the
object.
Weighing by Addition
Weigh dried, empty container
Add sample
Reweigh container + sample
Weight of beaker
Weight of beaker + sample
Weight of sample
Weighing by Difference
Weigh container & its contents
Transfer a portion of the
contents to another container
Reweigh the container
Weight of vial + contents
Weight of vial – contents
Weight of sample

Usually used when:

a. A series of approximately similar weight of sample are to be weighed
b. The sample is hygroscopic or volatile
Statistical Treatment of Weighing Data
• Arrange the masses of the 10 coins from lowest to highest
• Use Q-test to reject any questionable result

xq = questionable result
xn = neighboring result
w = range

Q > Qtab : Reject questionable value

Q < Qtab : Retain questionable value
The analysis of a city drinking water for arsenic yielded
values of 5.60, 5.64, 5.70, 5.69, and 5.81 ppm. The last
value appears anomalous; should it be rejected at the
95% confidence level?
 𝑁
𝑖=1 𝑥𝑖
Mean: 𝑥= Range = highest value – lowest value
𝑁

𝑁
𝑖=1 𝑑𝑖 𝑑𝑖 = 𝑥𝑖 − 𝑥
Average deviation: 𝑑= Deviation:
𝑁
 Standard deviation:

Coefficient of variation:
Confidence Interval of the Mean
• Range of values within which the true value of the mean is expected
to lie with a certain probability

for N measurements:

t value obtained from t-table at N-1 degrees of freedom

For N = 10 at 90% confidence level