Which one of the following statements is correct ?

Which one of the following statements is correct ?

The measurement of mass taken by a spring weighing balance is correct at the place where the spring balance is calibrated for
The measurement of mass taken by a spring weighing balance is correct at all places
The measurement of mass taken by a spring weighing balance is correct at the places where the acceleration due to gravity is same as the place where the spring balance is calibrated for
A spring balance cannot be used to measure mass at any place
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2016
The correct answer is C. A spring balance measures weight, which is the force exerted by gravity on a mass (Weight = mass × g).
A spring balance is calibrated at a specific location where the local acceleration due to gravity (‘g’) has a particular value. The scale on the spring balance is marked to show mass based on the extension of the spring caused by the weight. If the spring balance is used at a location where the acceleration due to gravity is different from the calibration location, the weight of the same mass will be different, leading to a different spring extension and consequently an incorrect mass reading on the scale. Therefore, the measurement of mass taken by a spring balance is correct only at places where the acceleration due to gravity is the same as the place where it was calibrated.
Beam balances (like a physical balance) compare the mass of an unknown object with known standard masses. They compare masses directly by balancing torques, and thus their measurement is independent of the local acceleration due to gravity ‘g’. A spring balance, however, measures force (weight) and infers mass based on the calibrated relationship between spring extension and weight at a specific ‘g’.
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