What property does the Westphal balance measure?

What property does the Westphal balance measure?

• A. Specific gravity of solids, minerals, and liquids
• B. Boiling point of liquids
• C. Electrical conductivity of solids
• D. Hardness of minerals

Answer: (A)

The Westphal balance is used to determine specific gravity, which is the density of a substance relative to water. It works by comparing the weight of a sample in air with its apparent weight when placed in a liquid of known density (often water). The relationship between these weights, based on buoyancy, lets you calculate how dense the sample is compared with water. This instrument is specifically built for measuring how heavy a substance is for its size, across solids, minerals, and liquids. Boiling point, electrical conductivity, and hardness are measured with other methods and tools, so they aren’t what the Westphal balance assesses.

The Westphal balance is used to determine specific gravity, which is the density of a substance relative to water. It works by comparing the weight of a sample in air with its apparent weight when placed in a liquid of known density (often water). The relationship between these weights, based on buoyancy, lets you calculate how dense the sample is compared with water. This instrument is specifically built for measuring how heavy a substance is for its size, across solids, minerals, and liquids.

Boiling point, electrical conductivity, and hardness are measured with other methods and tools, so they aren’t what the Westphal balance assesses.