Spring scale (newton meter) figures for reading force
The Spring Scale Generator draws a lab spring scale, also called a newton meter or force meter, with its pointer at the force you type. It comes in the sizes a school lab has, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 50 N, each in its own color, and printed in newtons, grams or both. Readings go one digit past the smallest mark, the estimated digit.
Hang a block or slotted masses from the hook, or nothing. Give the scale a zero offset for a zero error question, with the same scale drawn unloaded beside it, and add a magnified view of the pointer so the marks stay readable in print. Turn on the answer key to print the force under the figure.
What you can set
- Capacity: 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30 or 50 N, color-coded or in black and white
- Printed in newtons, grams, or both
- The force on the hook, typed or picked at random
- A zero offset, with the scale also drawn unloaded beside it
- On the hook: nothing, a block with a short label, or 1 to 5 slotted masses
- A magnifier beside the scale or in place of it, spanning 1 to 6 numbered marks
- A chart title, and an answer key line with the force
Copying, printing and sharing
Copy the figure straight into a test, worksheet or slide, or download it as a PNG or SVG. Printing the page prints
just the figure. Share link copies the page’s address with your settings in it, so anyone who opens it sees this
exact figure, and presets save settings you use often in your browser. It’s free, with no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
How do you read a spring scale?
Hold it upright and read where the pointer sits against the marks. Work out what each small mark is worth, read the last mark the pointer has passed, and estimate one more digit between marks. On a 10 N scale marked every 0.1 N, that means reading to 0.01 N, like 3.47 N.
Why do some spring scales show grams?
A spring scale measures force, but many are also printed in grams so they can stand in for a balance. Like school scales, the generator puts 100 g beside every 1 N, taking g as 10 N/kg, so each gram mark lines up with a newton mark. Only the newton reading is a force.
What is a zero error?
With nothing hanging, a scale should read zero. If its pointer rests above or below zero instead, every reading is off by that much, so subtract the unloaded reading from the loaded one: a scale that rests at 0.20 N and reads 4.30 N with a load on it is measuring 4.10 N.
Why is each size a different color?
Lab spring scales are color-coded by capacity, so students can pick the right one at a glance. The generator gives each size its own color: pink for 1 N, blue for 2.5 N, green for 5 N, tan for 10 N, red for 20 N, white for 30 N and yellow for 50 N. Turn color off to draw it in black and white for photocopying.
How does the reading relate to a mass’s weight?
A mass hanging still from the hook pulls down with its weight, W = mg, so the scale reads its weight in newtons. A 250 g mass reads 2.45 N with g = 9.8 N/kg, or 2.5 N with g = 10 N/kg.
Physics Figures Spring Scale Generator