A LEGO Watt balance: An apparatus to determine a mass based on the new SI | Zendy

Leon Chao | Zendy; Stephan Schlamminger | Zendy; David B. Newell | Zendy; Jon R. Pratt | Zendy; F. Seifert | Zendy; X. Zhang | Zendy; G. Sineriz | Zendy; Mingyue Liu | Zendy; D. Haddad | Zendy

AI Assistant Blog Pricing

Home ZAIA Blog

Open Access

A LEGO Watt balance: An apparatus to determine a mass based on the new SI

Author(s) -

Leon Chao,

Stephan Schlamminger,

David B. Newell,

Jon R. Pratt,

F. Seifert,

X. Zhang,

G. Sineriz,

Mingyue Liu,

D. Haddad

Publication year - 2015

Publication title -

american journal of physics

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.541

H-Index - 99

eISSN - 1943-2909

pISSN - 0002-9505

DOI - 10.1119/1.4929898

Subject(s) - kilogram , planck constant , international system of units , watt , physics , balance (ability) , unit (ring theory) , outreach , detailed balance , constant (computer programming) , nuclear engineering , electrical engineering , mechanical engineering , metrology , computer science , statistical physics , optics , quantum mechanics , engineering , mathematics , body weight , mathematics education , quantum , power (physics) , medicine , political science , law , programming language , physical medicine and rehabilitation

A global effort to redefine our International System of Units (SI) is underway and the change to the new system is expected to occur in 2018. Within the newly redefined SI, the present base units will still exist but be derived from fixed numerical values of seven reference constants. More specifically, the unit of mass, the kilogram, will be realized through a fixed value of the Planck constant $h$. For instance, a watt balance can be used to realize the kilogram unit of mass within a few parts in $10^8$. Such a balance has been designed and constructed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. For educational outreach and to demonstrate the principle, we have constructed a LEGO tabletop watt balance capable of measuring a gram size mass to 1 % relative uncertainty. This article presents the design, construction, and performance of the LEGO watt balance and its ability to determine $h$

The content you want is available to Zendy users.

Already have an account? Click here to sign in.

Having issues? You can contact us here

Accelerating Research