how do you calibrate (zero ) a scale?

Answer 1

Calibration is a different process than zeroing a scale. However, for zeroing (or taring), most balances just require you to press a "zero" button while nothing is on the balance pan. More sophisticated balances may require you to level the balance in order to get the best result.

Calibration would imply more than just zeroing...it would be a procedure that would ensure, for example, that a 100.00 gram mass would actually weigh out at 100.00 grams on the scale. Zeroing just ensures that the balance says 0.00 grams before you put anything on it. Calibration procedures differ from balance to balance, and not all balances have them.

Answer 2

calibrate and zero are different. I assume you mean an electronic balance?? zero is easy, just press the zero or tare button. To calibrate you need to find the right buttons to call up the calibrate option. It will usually ask you to put a known mass (usually 200g) on the scale after it has used zero mass on the balance to get one calibration point.

For a mechanical balance the zero is usually adjusted by a slider mass or a small nut that can be screwed along to balance the balance with nothing on it. Calibration I don't know for a mechanical balance.

Answer 3

What type of scale? Triple beam, digital, balance, calipers? Need more information as to what kind of scale your trying to calibrate.

Answer 4

when there's nothing on them:

on a digital scale--hit the "tare" button
on a balance--there's a dial that you turn until the pointer reads 0

Answer 5

all the scales i've used have this "tare" button, so when there's nothing on the scale, just hit tare and that should do it

Answer 6

with nothing on it, press the cal button until it changes to all zeros then resets itself.