Analytical Balance Accuracy
Learn Ways to Ensure the Quality of Your Measurement
Analytical balance accuracy refers to the closeness of a measurement to the true value. The true value represents the most accurate measurement of the quantity being measured, and the degree of accuracy is determined by comparing the measurements to a known standard or reference, and any discrepancies can be corrected by adjusting the balance accordingly.
Typically, analytical balances have a high level of accuracy, with the ability to measure to within 0.1 mg or better. The accuracy of an analytical balance can be affected by various factors such as temperature, air currents, vibrations, and electromagnetic fields. Because of this, it is important to calibrate the balance regularly and use it in a controlled environment to ensure accurate measurements.
1. What Determines the Accuracy of an Analytical Balance?
Accuracy, trueness, and precision are three terms used to describe the quality of a measurement, but they refer to different aspects of it.
- Trueness refers to how close a measurement or series of measurements are to the true or expected value. In other words, trueness measures how well a measurement reflects reality.
- Precision, on the other hand, refers to how consistent or reproducible a measurement is. In other words, precision measures how well a measurement can be replicated or repeated. A measurement can be precise even if it's not accurate. For example, if you throw five darts and they all hit the same corner of the dartboard, your throwing is precise but not true.
Another word to describe precision is repeatability, the ability of an analytical balance to give the same result when weighing the same sample multiple times. If a balance has good repeatability, it means that it can weigh the same sample multiple times and give results that are very close to each other. - Accuracy is the combination of trueness and precision. When measurements are consistently close to the true value, they are considered accurate.
2. How to Ensure the Weighing Results from Your Analytical Balance Are Accurate?
- Optimal balance setup and environment avoiding external influences.
- Calibration of the balance in the place the instrument will be used. This allows you to assess how accurate an analytical balance is by determining the measurement uncertainty.
- Error-free transfer of weighing results. Download the Data Management Guide to learn more.
- Good cleaning procedure. Download the Cleaning Guide to learn more.
3. Does Readability Indicate the Accuracy of an Analytical Balance?
Readability is the smallest increment or the smallest weight that an analytical balance can display. It does not indicate how accurate a balance is, rather it defines the number of digits displayed after the decimal point for a weighing result. For example, if the readability of a balance is 0.001 g, it means that the balance can display weights in increments of 0.001 g (or 1 mg).