Balance & Weights

Q. 1. What are the parameters for calibration of analytical

balance?
A.1. Analytical Balance is calibrated for following five parameters:(a) Accuracy, (b) Linearity, (c) Uncertainty, (d) Eccentricity & (e)
Repeatability
Q. 2. What is the frequency of calibration for analytical balance?
A. 2. Analytical Balance is calibrated in following frequency:(a) Internal calibration
Daily (If Balance is Digital)
(b) Accuracy
Daily
(c) Linearity
Monthly
(d) Uncertainty
Monthly
(e) Eccentricity
Monthly
(f) Repeatability
Monthly
Q. 3. How the Accuracy of analytical balance is calibrated & what
are the acceptance criteria?
A. 3. The Accuracy of Analytical Balance is calibrated by taking weight of
50 mg, 100 mg, 500 mg, 1 gm, 10 gm, 100 gm, 110 gm, & 175 gm of
Certified Weights.
The acceptance criteria: 0.2% of Certified Weights. (Rer: In-house but
IP says 0.1%)
Observed Weight
Tolerance (g) ( 0.2 %
Weights (g)
of weight)
0.0500
0.0499 - 0.0501
0.1000
0.0980 0.1020
0.5000
0.4990 - 0.5010
1.0000
0.9980 - 1.0020
10.0000
9.9800 - 10.0200
110.0000
109.7800 - 110.2200
175.0000
174.6500 - 175.3500
Q. 4. How the Linearity of analytical balance is calibrated & what
are the acceptance criteria?
A. 4. The Linearity of Analytical Balance is calibrated by taking weight of
500 mg, 1 gm, 10 gm, 110 gm, & 175 gm of Certified Weights and plot the
graph between standard value and weights observed.
The acceptance criteria: The Graph shall be linear & Coefficient of
correlation: NLT 0.99.
Q. 5. How the Uncertainty of analytical balance is calibrated &
what are the acceptance criteria?
A. 5. The Uncertainty of Analytical Balance is calibrated by taking weight
of 500 mg of Certified Weights 10 times. Calculate the average and
standard deviation of all 10 measurements.
Replicates
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Average
SD

Observed weight (g)

3X Standard Deviation (SD)

Uncertainty = ------------------------------------0.001% (Ref: USP)

Acceptance criteria: NMT

Value of Certified Weights

Q. 6. How the Eccentricity of analytical balance is calibrated &
what are the acceptance criteria?
A. 6. The Eccentricity of Analytical Balance is calibrated by taking weight
of 100 gm of Certified at five different place of weighing pan (centre &
edge of cross section of diameter).
Position

Observed
weight (g)

Centre of the pan (A)

Top right corner (B)
Bottom right corner (
C)
Bottom Left corner
(D)
Top left corner (E)

Deviation from centre

(A)
(B-A) x 1000 =
(C-A) x 1000 =
(D-A) x 1000 =
(E-A) x 1000 =

Acceptance criteria: Observed weight from each position should not

deviate from the weight observed at the centre of the pan by 0.2 mg.
Q. 7. How the Repeatability of analytical balance is calibrated &
what are the acceptance criteria?
A. 7. The Repeatability of Analytical Balance is calibrated by taking weight
of 100 gm of Certified Weights 10 times & calculates the minimum and
maximum weight deviated from the average weight.
S No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Average ( x)

Observed weight (g)

Minimum weight deviated from average weight (Y) =

Deviation (mg) = (X-Y) x 1000 =
Maximum weight deviated from average weight (Z) =
Deviation (mg) = (X- Z) x 1000 =
Acceptance criteria: Observed weight should not be more than 0.2
mg from the average weight. (Ref: USP)
Q. 8. What are the parameters for calibration of single pan
balance?
A.8. Single pan Balance is calibrated for following four parameters:(a) Linearity A (b) Linearity B (c) Drift & (d) Uncertainty
Q. 9. What is the frequency of calibration for single pan balance?
A. 9. Single pan Balance is calibrated in following frequency:(a) Linearity A
Daily (Accuracy)
(b) Linearity B
Monthly
(c) Drift
Monthly (Eccentricity)
(d) Uncertainty
Monthly
Q. 10. How the Linearity A (Accuracy) of single pan balance is
calibrated & what are the acceptance criteria?

A. 10. The Linearity A (Accuracy) of Single Pan Balance is calibrated by

taking weight of (i) 100 times of least count, (ii) 5%, (iii) 20%, (iv) 50%
and (v) 80% of maximum capacity of balance by using Certified Weights.
The acceptance criteria: 0.1% of Certified Weights. (Ref: IP)
Capacity
in kg

Least
count
kg

in

Standard weight &acceptance criteria in kg

100 times 5%
of 20%
of 50%
of
least
max
max
max
count
capacity
capacity
capacity

80%of
max
capacity

Note Standard weight under 5%, 20%, 50%and 80% of capacity

of balance was rounded of nearest multiply by 5.
Q. 11. How the Linearity B of single pan balance is calibrated &
what are the acceptance criteria?
A. 11. The Linearity B of Single Pan Balance is calibrated by taking weight
of (i) 100 times of least count, (ii) 2.5% (iii) 5%, (iv) 20%, (v) 50% and (vi)
80% of maximum capacity of balance by using Certified Weights and plot
the graph between standard value and weights observed.
Note Standard weight under 5%, 20%, 50%and 80% of capacity
of balance was rounded of nearest multiply by 5.
Capacity
in kg

Least
count
kg

in

100
times
least
count

Standard weight &acceptance criteria in kg

2.5%
of 5%
of 20%
of 50%
of
max
max
max
max
capacity
capacity capacity
capacity

80%of
max
capacity

The acceptance criteria: The Graph shall be linear & Coefficient of

correlation: NLT 0.99.
Q. 11. How the Drift (Eccentricity) of single pan balance is
calibrated & what are the acceptance criteria?
A. 11. The Drift (Eccentricity) of Single Pan Balance is calibrated by taking
weight of 5% of maximum capacity of balance by using Certified Weights
at five different place of weighing pan (centre & edge of cross section of
diameter).
Position

Observed
weight (g)

Centre of the pan (A)

Top right corner (B)
Bottom right corner (
C)
Bottom Left corner
(D)
Top left corner (E)

Deviation from centre

(A)
(B-A) x 1000 =
(C-A) x 1000 =
(D-A) x 1000 =
(E-A) x 1000 =

Acceptance criteria: Observed weight from each position should not

deviate from the weight observed at the centre of the pan by 0.1%
Q. 12. How the Uncertainty of single pan balance is calibrated &
what are the acceptance criteria?
A. 5. The Uncertainty of Single Pan Balance is calibrated by taking weight
of 5% of maximum capacity of balance by using Certified Weights 10
times. Calculate the average and standard deviation of all 10
measurements.
Replicates
1
2
3
4
5
6

Observed weight (g)

7
8
9
10
Average
SD

3X Standard Deviation (SD)

Uncertainty = ------------------------------------Value of Certified Weights
Acceptance criteria: The Uncertainty should not be more than 0.001%
(Ref: USP)