Conde
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I am unsure how bathroom scales work. Does your weight compress or depress the spring? Do scales measure the upward or downward force? Please explain in detail.
Conde said:I am unsure how bathroom scales work. Does your weight compress or depress the spring? Do scales measure the upward or downward force? Please explain in detail.
Conde said:Thanks for your reply. I am still confused as to whether when you stand on a scale you are pushing the spring down, which sounds more likely or whether as is written in some books, the spring is pushing up. Also is your weight measured from the scale pushing up, or from your weight pushing down. I appreciate the clarification so I can really understand how the scale works.
Both! You push the spring down and in return, it pushes you back up.Conde said:Thanks for your reply. I am still confused as to whether when you stand on a scale you are pushing the spring down, which sounds more likely or whether as is written in some books, the spring is pushing up. Also is your weight measured from the scale pushing up, or from your weight pushing down. I appreciate the clarification so I can really understand how the scale works.
It must be both or neither: because they come in pairs, it can't be one or the other. But whether it is both or neither is a choice I leave to you. To explain what the scale actually does: the scale has sensors (as turbo suggested) that directly measure the movement (strain) of the spring. The scale then calculates the force required to cause that amount of movement.Conde said:Thanks everyone,
one last question which I still do not have clarified is whether the scale is measuring the restoring force or the actual force of the weight.