The Invention of the Barometer

According to Aristotle, why couldn't a true vacuum exist?

• Because the surrounding matter would immediately fill it

• Because it would cause extreme weather events

• Because it would lead to the invention of the barometer

• Because it would contradict ancient philosophers

What is the main purpose of a barometer?

• To measure air pressure

• To predict hurricanes and tornadoes

• To create a stable vacuum

• To demonstrate the force of a vacuum

Who conducted the experiment to demonstrate the possibility of a vacuum?

• Gasparo Berti

• Galileo Galilei

• Evangelista Torricelli

• Blaise Pascal

What did Gasparo Berti do to create a stable vacuum?

• Filled a long tube with water and opened the bottom end

• Used two tubes with a large bubble at the top

• Took a mercury tube up a mountain

• Poured water out into a basin until the level was 10.3 meters

What did Evangelista Torricelli believe was influencing the water in the tube?

• The pressure from the air surrounding the pool

• The force of the vacuum inside the tube

• The weight of the water column inside the tube

• The atmospheric pressure on the water outside the tube

What did Torricelli use instead of water in his experiment?

• Mercury

• Air

• Gas

• Steam

Why did Torricelli use mercury instead of water?

• Because mercury was denser and fell farther

• Because mercury was easier to obtain

• Because mercury was less toxic

• Because mercury was more readily available

What did Blaise Pascal demonstrate with the mercury tube taken up a mountain?

• That the mercury level dropped as the atmospheric pressure decreased

• That the mercury level remained the same regardless of altitude

• That the mercury level increased as the atmospheric pressure decreased

• That the mercury level was not affected by altitude

What was the main reason for the decline in the production of mercury barometers?

• Restrictions on the use of mercury due to its toxicity

• The invention of more accurate measuring instruments

• The decrease in demand for barometers

• The discovery of a better method to measure air pressure

What does the invention of the barometer demonstrate?

• The importance of questioning long accepted beliefs

• The limitations of ancient philosophers

• The significance of Galileo's unorthodox theories

• The impact of extreme weather events