I have to show my stupidity and ask a question for science.

[home4school]

If an experiment calls for .5 G or 5 G, how would I measure that out and what would I use? I can't figure out what to use, especially for such a small amount.:blushing:

 

Thanks,

Kim

Born in raised in the South where we don't use metric, but measurements like "from here to yonder" and a "smidge" more.

[joannqn]

You need a scale like these.

[LauraGB]

Born in raised in the South where we don't use metric, but measurements like "from here to yonder" and a "smidge" more.

 

Or how 'bout a "palmful"? A "couple handfuls"? Or, since we Midwesterners (it's not just a southern thing ;)) assume everyone knows what we are talking about all of the time - "some". A "tad" or the ever questionable "dash"? Come on, everyone knows no one will just do one singular "dash" - good grief, by the time we're done it's at least a good "pinch".

 

Sorry. I don't know the answer to your question, though. I just felt compelled to respond. :)

 

ETA - Actually, do you have a mail scale? If so, you can use that - just set it to metric.

Edited May 2, 2010 by LauraGB

[home4school]

I was afraid you would say one of those scales! I'd been looking at those today at HST. I don't want to spend that much though. Looks like the cheapest one that would detect the small amount is about $40.

 

Maybe we'll tinker with the experiment and just use a smidge or maybe a pinch or a dash. We're not using dangerous chemicals yet!:lol:

 

Thanks!

Kim

[Chris in VA]

5 grams is a teaspoon.

[In The Great White North]

If you're buying, I recommend getting one that is accurate to .01 g (needed for the best ever chem lab book, the Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments.) Then you won't have to upgrade later.

 

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/digital-pocket-scale-200-g-x-001-g/p/BS-DBP200/

 

or

 

http://balance.balances.com/scales/183

[home4school]

5 grams is a teaspoon.

 

Works for me! What a lifesaver.

 

I'll keep those scales on my wishlist for now. We'll just make do. Just knowing 5G is 1 tsp is a HUGE help.

 

Thanks again,

Kim

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

5 grams is a teaspoon.

 

Well, while this could be an approximation, it's also completely wrong from a conceptual point of view.

a teaspoon of lead and a teaspoon of fluff would not be 5g each. You are comparing mass and volume here. They just don't compare, unless you take into account the density of the items in question.

 

For most kitchen items, this would lead to a decent approximation, which may be good enough for the OP. But it's also leading her kids into a dangerous path. From a scientific point of view, this approximation is just wrong.

[Matryoshka]

I'll keep those scales on my wishlist for now. We'll just make do. Just knowing 5G is 1 tsp is a HUGE help.

 

 

Unfortunately, Cleo is right.

 

1 tsp = 5 ml = 5 cc (cubic centimeters) - all of which measure volume.

 

However, grams is a measurement of mass (equivalent to weight as long as you're here on Earth), like pounds and ounces, so you can't measure the weight of something using a teaspoon.

[katemary63]

Well, while this could be an approximation, it's also completely wrong from a conceptual point of view.

a teaspoon of lead and a teaspoon of fluff would not be 5g each. You are comparing mass and volume here. They just don't compare, unless you take into account the density of the items in question.

 

For most kitchen items, this would lead to a decent approximation, which may be good enough for the OP. But it's also leading her kids into a dangerous path. From a scientific point of view, this approximation is just wrong.

 

:iagree::iagree:

[home4school]

The things we have to measure out are:

 

1G iron filings (just to use the magnet under the paper)

0.7G sodium bicarbonate (baking soda, right)

0.5G sodium chloride (salt, right)

5G clayey sand w/silt (guess we'll use a tsp of just dirt)

5G potassium chloride (sea salt, right)

 

I think for right now, we'll be ok eyeballing. But I've definitely got that scale on my wishlist before we get to the dangerous stuff!

 

Please let me know if I've made any errors.

 

Thanks,

Kim

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

btw, it's 'g', not 'G'. It's really important that it be a lower case 'g'. Many metric measures have both a lower and upper case letter.

I'm a metric person ;) and it took me a while to understand what you meant by G.

[home4school]

btw, it's 'g', not 'G'. It's really important that it be a lower case 'g'. Many metric measures have both a lower and upper case letter.

I'm a metric person ;) and it took me a while to understand what you meant by G.

 

 

I copied it directly from the supply list, so what do you think he meant? Something else all together, or did he just not know what he was doing either?:lol:

 

Does G mean something?

 

Thanks!

Kim

 

Going to see if there's a "Key to... Metric" available!

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

G is usually related to gravitational force, like airplane pilots pulling in 5Gs when the airplane turns at high speed.

[home4school]

Oh, that's right. Kind of makes me question the program now!

 

Thanks for the help.

Kim

[MamaSheep]

I found a fairly inexpensive digital kitchen scale at Wal-Mart that does a decent job and measures in grams. Something like that might see you through for a while before investing in a "nice" scientific version.

[In The Great White North]

I found a fairly inexpensive digital kitchen scale at Wal-Mart that does a decent job and measures in grams. Something like that might see you through for a while before investing in a "nice" scientific version.

__________________

 

I have a kitchen scale that honestly wasn't that much less expensive (I actually did get it for baking) and I am irritated every time we do an experiment because it isn't accurate enough. Before the next dc gets to chemistry, I an upgrading!

[home4school]

I'm going to WM today, so I'll check there. I'm, ummm, frugal and my dh loves to tell me, "Well, you get what you pay for." Sometimes he's right, sometimes not so much! :)

 

Guess I need to price shop this a bit.

 

Thanks ladies,

Kim