beam balance
- noun
- /biːm ˈbæl.əns/
- Specialized
:
balanza de brazo
- To get away from torsion balances entirely, the Zürich group chose to measure G with a beam balance.
Examples
-
The beam balance, which can attach to either of the test masses, measures the difference between their apparent weights when (a) the field masses are between them, and then again when (b) the field masses sit outside them.
Academic text (2002) -
The figure on page 21 shows the two test masses, vertically separated by 1.5 m, each hanging from wires that can be attached, in turn, to the beam balance.
Academic text (2002) -
In each of these two field-mass deployments, the beam balance weighs the suspended test masses, one at a time.
Academic text (2002) -
It is dominated by the nonlinearity of the beam balance and imperfect knowledge of the field-mass distribution.
Academic text (2002) -
To compensate for nonlinearities in the beam balance's response, the weight measurements were carried out repeatedly, with a variety of small auxiliary weights added to the balance to provide different known offsets.
Academic text (2002) -
The scientist used a beam balance to accurately measure the weight of the samples.
-
In the laboratory, the beam balance compared the weights of two metal blocks side by side.
-
To determine the correct weight, he placed the object on one side of the beam balance and adjusted the weights on the other side.
Synonyms
33
2.8
A tool that measures weight, like a scale
1
6.1
An exact scale in a lab for measuring very small amounts of chemicals
1
5.2
A balance with a long bar that turns and uses a sliding weight to measure how heavy something is
A small portable balance with a bar that turns on a point to weigh things
How Precise
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
5.2
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is a straightforward compound: 'beam' (a horizontal bar/lever) + 'balance' (weighing device) yields a subtype of balance that uses a beam to compare weights. This compositional, subtype naming pattern is common and cross-linguistically regular, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Beam balance comes from the clear picture of a long beam like a seesaw with two hanging pans. When the things in the pans make the beam level the scale is 'balanced', so the name shows it is a tool to 'compare' and 'measure' weight by finding when the beam is even.