Gouy balance

Have you ever played with a seesaw or a balance scale? A gouy balance is like a special type of balance scale that scientists and researchers use to weigh really small things like molecules or particles.

The gouy balance has two parts, just like a seesaw: the weighing plate and the counterbalance. The weighing plate is where the tiny thing we want to weigh is placed. The counterbalance is a heavy weight that helps balance out the weighing plate.

But unlike a regular balance scale, the gouy balance has a special feature called a magnet. The magnet creates a magnetic field that makes the tiny thing we want to weigh move up and down on the weighing plate. This movement is called oscillation.

Here's where it gets a little tricky. The way the tiny thing oscillates depends on how heavy it is and how strong the magnetic field is. Scientists can use this information to figure out the tiny thing's mass, which is like its weight.

The gouy balance is really important in the field of chemistry because scientists use it to weigh super small things like molecules that are too tiny to see with our eyes. By knowing the mass of these tiny things, scientists can learn a lot about how they behave and interact with other molecules.