new toy, need experiment suggestions (sensitive chemistry scale)

So I just got a new toy for a great price, and need to learn how to operate it (I have an operators manual, but have not really tried to go through it yet). I need experiment ideas you guys might like to see.

The toy is a Mettler H10 Analytical Balance, and apparently is for accurate measurements in chemistry.

"The balance case, of formed aluminum sheets with glass doors, is 16 1/2" high, 9 1/2" wide and 20" deep. The balance has a capacity 160 g., a range of 1,000 mg on the optical scale, an accuracy of ±0.1 mg, and weights adjusted to within Class S tolerances."


So I assume it is accurate to the 0.0001th of a gram, and can do up to 160 grams (hmm most of our batteries are heavier sadly, so I could do it with some ≤1400mAh batteries? and then graph that data)






Here are some ideas I have currently and will update it with suggestions:

Test a couple batteries of different characteristics both full and discharged to see how it changes weight in micrograms (±100 I think).

1. Batteries, Discharged vs Charged
2. Plant growth over small ammount of time EDIT: (due to conservation of mass there is no feasible way to test it as for every bit of plant grown it uses dirt, water, or CO2)
3. How much carbon dioxide is in different fizzy drinks
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   @holtneil @HDtallrider @Mike H.

 

Full hard drive vs empty one

 

I can try it, but this would not be anywhere near sensitive enough sadly. The Battery would only show because of the chemical properties that changes between full and empty. An SSD would need something that could almost measure the weight of a few million electrons, and the HDD would need the ability to measure the magnetic field's difference between 1 and 0 which would theoretically not change the weight at all. But that is just my prediction hahahaha

 

I always wondered that. I asked my physics teacher in highschool about that and he couldn't give me an answer

 

Well it has been done with flash and been shown that data does have weight (electrons are stored as a charge in EEPROM chips used for memory), an SSD (solid state drives) are basically the same as flash. However a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) stores the info on a magnetic disk, so I'd say no as you are just altering the magnetic field. So that question could be answered with, does a magnet weight more if polarized from left to right, or from right to left? The answer is of course no.

 

Interesting lol. I would probably do something dumb like get a 12 pack of those 8oz cans of pop and measure the discrepancies between them

 

graph the weight of a plant over time ? maybe half-hourly measurements and measure them vs amount of incident light, or over a longer time scale to watch it grow ?

edit - might have to stand it in a dish of water (covered ?) so no net water weight gained or lost

 

Yeah hahahaha, the water evaporating would cause a problem if not covered. But that would be a cool experiment to have a plant covered and sitting on a scale all day, and compare the noticeable measurements that happened throughout the day.

 

So, I have to ask... What DO you have this funky appliance for? Not just for the amusement of members on a quadcopter forum, surely?!?

 

TL;DR Got it off a friend from a college for: make meth breaking bad style and the amusement of the quadcopter community.



Well it is for measuring chemicals to be accurate when getting what you need for reactions. I got it off a friend that I do a lot of work with and for, who bought it from an auction at a college (I get a lot of other stuff at these auctions myself to repair and resell).

He let me have it for more than reasonable price.


I repaired most of the stuff on it last night as it had been turned on it's side (very bad idea as there are a lot of weights that just kinda sit in there), fixed some of the mirrors where he glue had failed, oiled some parts that were hard to move(little rust) and made a lot of adjustments so that the values are coming into range. There is a little damage to an an optical piece where the readouts are mirrored on, but I might get a replacement, or weigh stuff on a regular scale to bring me closer to the weight I'm figuring for. It would be just as accurate either way, but one is just a bit harder.



I still have some adjustments to make before it is usable, but at least it is giving readouts now hahahaha.

 

Id go through that manual and see what the calibration procedure is with it..Being that precise of a scale it wouldnt take much for it to not be as accurate as it could be...Being off as much as a simple pubic hair in weight could blow us all up man..Whats wrong with you.

 

Hahaha, I went through the calibration procedure, and the ingenious way it was designed makes it harder to get it adjusted to where it was off if you get the weight in range to zero it in before use if you are following the use procedures too. It uses light and mirrors along with weights and mechanical parts. I'll be using test weights that are meant for calibration, when I think I have it close. The key is to get the reflected image of the light right in the little display and Zeroed in.

 

how about... open a can of coke and put it on the scale, see how the weight changes as it goes flat

 

That is pretty cool idea too, so you would be figuring out how much carbon dioxide was in the coke. That is getting added hahaha.

 

Take into account evaporation as well

 

That is what a cover would be for, to seal the environment for a day.

 

I suppose when the weight drops and doesnt drop anymore all the carbon has gone...How long must it sit is the question before it stops.. 1 week?2 months? 3 months?

 

Well I have realized a big problem with the experiment. Due to conservation of mass whatever weight is gained is going to be gained from chemical reactions that turn the dirt, CO2 and water into plant. This measures mass so it will be unchanged! hahaha. I don't see how I missed that when looking at the idea. Also due to lost water from evaporation the experiment wold become flawed if it were uncovered. If you tried unplanting it and replanting it every test you would likely kill it or leave behind part of the root system.

 

Ill be doing some thrust tests on my quads soon...Using a cup on the scale with the quad upside down on it then taring the scale...Slowly ramping up throttle till full throttle is reached and take a note of the grams of thrust....Fun with a cheap harbor freight scale

 

Hahaha, until recently I did not even have a scale to do grams, I got one for veggies that does grams and pounds (I of course use it only for quads). It is accurate to about 2 grams I think

You might want to make sure the quad is fastened down really well hahaha. If it yaws and comes off the cup you will have a problem .