Meaning & use
spring scale
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A weighing device that measures how far a spring stretches or compresses when a load is placed on it.
Grammar: Countable: a spring scale, two spring scales; unlike a balance, it responds to force, so the reading can change with gravity.
Patterns
- spring scale reading
- hang from a spring scale
- calibrate a spring scale
In the lab, we hung a metal block from a spring scale and recorded the force.
The fisherman checked the spring scale before trusting the suitcase weight.
Word forms
| plural | spring scales |
|---|
Common combinations
- calibrate a spring scale
- Calibrate a spring scale with a known mass before the experiment.
- spring scale reading
- The spring scale reading increased as more washers were added.
- hang from a spring scale
- Each bag hangs from a spring scale to measure its weight.
- digital spring scale
- A digital spring scale shows the force without a moving pointer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- force meter
- Broader: it measures force in newtons, while a spring scale is a common type of force meter.
- balance
- Compares masses with standard masses and is less affected by local gravity than a spring scale.
- weighing scale
- A general term that may use springs, electronics, or a balance mechanism.
Commonly confused: spring scale or balance scale? spring scale or bathroom scale?
spring scale vs balance scale
A balance compares an object with known masses; a spring scale measures stretch caused by weight.
spring scale vs bathroom scale
Often a home scale; it may be spring-based or electronic and usually displays body weight.
Practice
A spring scale is best used to measure the ___ caused by an object's gravity.
Choose one answer.
A spring scale responds to force, giving weight; mass is what a balance compares well, while density and pressure require different measurements.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “spring scale”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.