- Definition
A pan balance is a tool with two trays that helps you compare how heavy two things are by seeing which side goes down. You can also use it to figure out how much something weighs by balancing it with known weights.
Placing a toy car on one pan and gram weights on the other until they are level finds the mass of the car.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A pan balance is like a seesaw for objects — the heavier side goes down.
Ask your child: What could you put on the other side to make this crayon balance?
Common mix-up: Kids may think a pan balance tells you the exact weight like a bathroom scale. It actually shows which of two objects is heavier, or if they have the same mass.
Examples
- Putting a rock on one side and a pencil on the other to see which is heavier.
- Balancing an apple on one side with three small blocks on the other shows the apple has the same mass as the blocks.
pan balance is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
