Barometer

Description

An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. First invented in 1643 by Evangeliseta Torricele, a mercury barometer consists of a glass tube filled with mercury. Atmospheric pressure exerts a force on the mercury causing it to rise and fall with changes in the weather. Normal atmospheric pressure (1 atmosphere) is defined as 760 torrs or 760 millimeters of mercury.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Luftdruckmesser (Deut.); baromètre (Fr.);

Authority

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Tom Rowland, Noel Riley, A-Z Guide to Cleaning, Conserving and Repairing Antiques, Constable and Co., Ltd., London, 1981

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998