Which instrument is best for measuring an object's mass when precision is important and you want a digital display?

• A. Digital Balance
• B. Pan Balance
• C. Ruler
• D. Beaker

Answer: (A)

To measure mass with high precision and get a digital readout, you want a device that directly converts the mass into an electronic signal and displays it as numbers. The digital balance does exactly that: it uses a sensor (like a load cell) to determine mass and shows the value on a screen with high resolution, often to hundredths or thousandths of a gram. It also makes quick, tare-enabled measurements where you zero out a container and only measure the contents.

A pan balance, while accurate, requires balancing with known weights and reads a mechanical scale rather than a digital display, so it isn’t as convenient for precise digital readings. A ruler measures length, not mass, and a beaker is for volume. So the digital balance is the best fit for precision with a digital readout.