TED-Ed: The history of the barometer (and how it works) - Asaf Bar-Yosef

The video explores the evolution of the understanding of vacuums, starting with Aristotle's incorrect theory that a true vacuum cannot exist. It then discusses the 17th-century problem faced by Italian miners with water pumps, leading to Galileo's theory and Berti's experiment demonstrating a vacuum. Torricelli, Galileo's pupil, proposed that atmospheric pressure influences water levels, which was validated by Pascal's mountain experiment. This led to the development of the mercury barometer, a crucial tool for measuring atmospheric pressure, until mercury's toxicity halted its production in Europe in 2007.

What was Aristotle's belief about a true vacuum?

• It could exist in nature.

• It was essential for weather forecasting.

• It could not exist because matter would fill it.

• It was a key component of a barometer.

What problem did Italian miners face in the 17th century?

• Their pumps were causing environmental damage.

• Their pumps could not raise water more than 10.3 meters.

• Their pumps were too expensive to operate.

• Their pumps were too slow to be effective.

What did Gasparo Berti's experiment demonstrate?

• The impossibility of a vacuum.

• The existence of a stable vacuum.

• The weightlessness of air.

• The limitations of water pumps.

How did Torricelli's experiment differ from Berti's?

• He conducted the experiment underwater.

• He used a longer tube.

• He used mercury instead of water.

• He used a vacuum pump.

What did Blaise Pascal's experiment on a mountain demonstrate?

• The mercury level dropped as atmospheric pressure decreased.

• The mercury level remained constant.

• The mercury level increased with altitude.

• The mercury level was unaffected by altitude.