chemical balance
1
6.1
- noun
- Specialized
:
balanza química
- The scientist relied on a chemical balance to measure the sodium chloride accurately.
Examples
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If the chemical balance isn't maintained, the clones will die, and we can't just start over, so, you need to watch the levels.
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The chemical balance can be altered.
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In the lab, a chemical balance is essential for determining precise amounts of substances.
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Using a chemical balance allowed the chemist to ensure her results were reliable.
Synonyms
1
5.2
A balance with a long bar that turns and uses a sliding weight to measure how heavy something is
A very accurate scale used in labs to weigh tiny amounts
A very sensitive scale for weighing tiny amounts of material
A tool with a horizontal beam and two pans that compares weights
A machine that measures small weights and shows the number on a digital screen
How Precise
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
6.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'chemical balance' is transparently built from 'chemical' (relating to chemistry) and 'balance' (a weighing device), so its core meaning — a balance used in chemical work to weigh substances — is directly inferable. While the full technical nuance (a highly precise beam balance for very small masses) is specialized, a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the basic sense.
Etymology
The noun chemical balance comes from the literal idea of a balance used in chemical labs: chemists put tiny samples on the two pans and waited until the beam was perfectly even. That's why the term means 'a very precise scale for measuring tiny amounts'.