How to determine grams

[brian steinberger]

I need to measure out some sodium sulfite in grams. Is there anyway I can

compare grams to ounces? I don't have a scale. What about in terms of a teasoon

or smaller? Exactly how much is one gram?

 

Brian

[frank.schifano]

A 10 second Google search gets you here: http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/weight_conversion.php

[momente]

<A HREF="http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/gram_calc.htm"> Here's what you probably need. </A>

[william_john_smith]

If you are using a Macintosh a one second mouse click will bring up the Unit Converter

widget which said that one gram equals 0.035273962 oz. If you are not using a Macintosh

then it looks like you will have to use the ten second google search method.

[stephen hazelton]

A cube of water 1 cm on each side weighs one gram, if that helps you to visualize it.

 

If you're doing this much, get a scale. I imagine there are a lot of chemistry type scales that would work. But there are also powder scales used for handloading firearms cartridges. They are fairly cheap. Only drawback is that they measure in grains, which I seem to recall is 1/7000 of a pound or so.

 

Alternatively, if you have a friend or acquaintance that has such a scale, jury-rig your own little measuring cup for the appropriate amount.

[oceanphysics]

A U.S. nickel weighs exactly 5 grams. At least when new. I'm not sure if that helps, though!

[john_stockdale2]

There are two parts to your question. Firstly, converting grams to ounces can be done with a calculator (1 ounce = 28.349gram) or at:

 

http://www.onlineconversion.com/

 

Go to "weight" and choose your units.

 

The other part of your question is how do you convert grams of sodium sulfite to a convenient household measurement of volume, such as a teaspoon. According to the Darkroom Cookbook by S.Anchell, anhydrous sodium sulfite can be measured thus:

 

1 teaspoon is 7.9gram

 

I assume that there is such a thing as a standard US teaspoon, and that that is what is meant by this conversion. In other countries, a "teaspoon" can have different sizes. That is why the metric system is standard in almost all of the world. It's true!

 

In most photographic recipes the amount of sulfite is not really critical, but some other components can be.

[stephen hazelton]

In the US, a teaspoon is a standard cooking measurement, so they make measuring spoons for it. The little medicine-measuring thingies might be more accurate for this- don't put 'em back in medicine drawer, though.

[kelly_flanigan1]

re<i>a U.S. nickel weighs exactly 5 grams</i><BR><BR>Usually a random nickel from pocket change weighs in within 0.01 gram, when I use my 1/10 milligram Mettler balance. Even one that is extremely worn looking is good enough for a swag on a make shift photographic balance.<BR><BR>US currency bills, ie dollar, 5 dollar etc bills weigh in at 1 gram each. The weight varies due to humidity.<BR><BR>A 5 carat diamond weighs 1 gram too, US Nickels are somewhat cheaper item to use on the darkroom scale, they weight 25 carats.

[mitchell_kirschner]

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive but accurate (to 0.1 g) scale for measuring phenidone etc.?

 

Say US $25-$50, assuming that's reasonable. Ideally available by online purchase.

 

PS - I know how to use Google...I want recommendations based on actual experience.

[john_stockdale2]

"....but accurate (to 0.1 g) scale for measuring phenidone etc"

 

A readout to one decimal place does not really mean accurate to 0.1g. For example, if a formula for 1 Liter of developer calls for 0.2g which is fairly typical, your scale that reads to one decimal place can show only 0.1, 0.2, 0.3. Even if it's accurate to the nearest one decimal place (a big if: read in the specifications of the scale the fine print about reading error in the last digit), when it says 0.2 it can be anything from 0.15 to about 0.25. This is a large percentage error.

 

For this reason some people make a stock solution of phenidone which makes measuring out small quantities easier. I had no luck doing that in alcohol, but some other solvents have been recommended.

[photojim]

Ohaus makes a small digital scale with 0.1 gram accuracy to 50 grams and 0.2 gram accuracy to 100 grams. I wish it could weigh heavier amounts but I find it pretty useful nonetheless. I got mine off eBay in 2003 for about $40. They should be easy to find.

 

The triple-beam Ohaus scales are excellent but slow to use. You can weigh any reasonable quantity with them with high precision.

[d_purdy]

Generally sodium sulfite doesn't have to be very accurately measured

anyway. But it seems to me that 1 level film can is 1 OZ. At least that is how it

was measured for using it with FG7. So you could do one level film can and

then pour it out on a mirror and with a razor blade divide it in half, then in half

again, then in half again, then in half again, then sort of in half with a big half

and a little half and call it a gram.... what you never used cocaine?

[d_purdy]

I should add that I am just joking about the mirror and razor blade. .... a nice

set of scales is useful in a dark room

[pnance]

The Cent-a-gram scale is accurate to .01 gram. Used ones should be available in that price range. (got mine for $20, in good condition)

[jim_appleyard]

Brian, John has already mentioned Anchell's "Darkroom Cookbook". Not only does it have a good grams-to-teaspoon conversion chart in it, it is a great resource to have in the darkroom.

 

BTW, I was told here on photo.net that the US teaspoon is not a worldwide standard.

[frank.schifano]

If you need to measure out something like phenidone which is used in very small quantities, you need a scale that can measure down to .01 gram. See here: http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=11

[paul_viapiano]

You can just use the plain Google search box and enter, "24 grams in ounces", press enter, and there's your answer.

 

It'll convert any measurement to whatever you want...