BALANCE

n. Ba*l’a?ns. Gr.,Tpvrévn. Lat., bilanx (from bis, twice, and lanx, a dish). balance (Ist def.), balance ment (2 def.). Ger., Wage (ist def.). It. bilancia (Ist det Sp., balanza (ist def), i, A pair of scales, an instrument for ascertaining the weight of a body; consisting of a horizontal beam hung on a pivot or an agate knife-edge at a point above its centre of gravity, and having suspended from it at each end a receptacle, also hung on a pivot or a oni orleans of the receptacles being for the weight, and the other for the material to be weighed. [A, 1,9, 385; B, 7. 2. The proper state of Tepeomen between the power or activity oi the different parts of a mechanism or an organism; as used by some writers, an increased development (Fr., balance ment des organes) or functional activity (Fr., balance ment fonctionnel) of certain parts, to compensate for an inadequate development, atrophy, or diminished functional activity of other parts. [A, 385.]—Adhe- = (AFTER PRIVAT DESCHANEL.) sion b. See Prechtl’s adhesion b.—Analytical b. See Chemical b.—A ay b. À b. specially adapted to weighing small objects accurately and rapidly; chiefly used in mints. [B,2.]—B. de Coulomb (Fr.), B. de torsion (Fr.). See Torsion b.—B. (Fr.). See Induction b.—B. électrique (Fr.). See Torsion b, —B. électro-magnétique (Fr.). See Electro-magnetic b.—B. magnétique. See Torsion b.—B. of Odier and Blache. A balance in the form of a steelyard, designed for weighing infants. [B, 107.]_ Cf. Pèse-péBé. — B. of Roberval. A b. consisting of two equal weights sliding upon two horizontal arms p jecting from the lateral sides of a parallelogram the other two sides of which revolve about their centres, which are fixed. The two weights, no matter how disposed on the arms of the b. will always hold each othe: in equilibrium. [B, 7.]—B. of torsion. See Torsion b.—B. romaine (Fr.). See STEELYARD.—Chemical b. Fr., b. chimique. _ Ger., chemische Wage. It., bilancia chimica. Ab. used by chemists; made so as to combine precision and sensitivene in the highest degree. It has a knife edge bearing of some hard substance, usually agate, upon which the arms of the b. rest only during the operation of weighing. When not in use, it is usually kept under a case to protect it from disturbing influences. [B.]—Chinese b. A form of b. identical in principle. with the steelyard. [B, 7.] —Electro -magnetic b. Fr., b. électro-magnétique. Ab. for determining the intensity of electric currents. From each arm is suspended a magnet which dips into a gla tube surrounded by a coil of wire. On pa ing a current in opposite directions through the two coils, one magnet is depre ed and the other elevated, and the weight required to restore the equi- Mbrium isa measure of the intensity of the current. [Becquerel (B, 38).] — Hy-