What was Galileo Galilei’s hydrostatic balance used for?

Galileo Galilei designed his hydrostatic balance for the purpose of weighing small quantities of substances. By weighing a substance in water, the device allowed for the determination of its specific gravity.12

Galileo detailed this invention in a short treatise titled La bilancetta ("The Little Balance"), which he wrote during the period he was giving private lessons in Florence and Siena. While the term "hydrostatic balance" refers generally to a tool for measuring relative density, Galileo's specific design was an early example of his commitment to mathematical and physical inquiry.12