A barometer is an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure. Evangelista Torricelli became the first scientist to create a sustained vacuum and to discover the principle of a barometer. Torricelli realized that the variation of the height of the mercury from day to day was caused by changes in the atmospheric pressure. Torricelli built the first mercury barometer around 1644. Galileo was the scientist who suggested that he use mercury in his vacuum experiments. Below is a picture of the first water-based barometer.
The purpose of this lab is to learn about measurements of barometric pressure by making a homemade barometer. Also, this lab will distribute the data found through a graph made by excel to professionally describe the data.
The homemade barometer consists of a glass bowl, a balloon and a straw. The balloon is cut at the top of the shaft so only the bulb is available and is then stretched over the glass bowl. The straw, or pressure indicator is then taped at the center of the bowl and will jut out past the bowl against a measuring tool, like a ruler for measurements. This is illustrated in pictures below.
Here is a table of the measurements.
Here is a picture of the graph.
If the pressure rises, the pressure in the bowl lowers, causing the taped straw end to lower as well, resulting in the opposite straw end to rise.
If the pressure lowers, the pressure in the bowl rises, causing the taped straw end to rise as well, resulting in the opposite straw end to lower. So, high pressure means high measurements, and vice versa.
For more information about barometers and their history, visit https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Barometer
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