Temperature Effects (Error in Weighing)

Attempts to weigh an object whose temperature is different from that of its surroundings will result in a significant error. Failure to allow sufficient time for a heated object to return to room temperature is the most common source of this problem. Errors due to a difference in temperature have two sources. First, convection currents within the balance case exert a buoyant effect on the pan and object.

Second, warm air trapped in a closed container weighs less than the same volume at a lower temperature. Both effects cause the apparent mass of the object to be low. This error can amount to as much as 10 or 15 mg for typical porcelain filtering crucibles or weighing bottles (see Figure 1.1). Heated objects must always be cooled to room temperature before being weighed.

Figure 1.1 Effect of temperature on weighing data. Absolute error as a function of time after an object was removed from a 110°C drying oven. A: porcelain filtering crucible. B: weighing bottle containing about 7.5 g of KCl.