Photo: A Torricellian barometer (sometimes called a mercury barometer) is an inverted (upside-down) glass tube standing in a bath of mercury. Air pressure pushes down on the surface of the mercury, making some rise up the tube. The greater the air pressure, the higher the mercury rises.
Also question is, how is a barometer used?
A barometer is a scientific instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure, also called barometric pressure. The atmosphere is the layers of air wrapped around the Earth. That air has a weight and presses against everything it touches as gravity pulls it to Earth. Barometers measure this pressure.
Beside above, how do you measure barometric pressure? An instrument that measures air pressure is called a barometer. One of the first barometers was developed in the 1600s. The original instrument had mercury in the small basin, with an upside down glass tube placed in the mercury.
Beside above, what does barometric pressure tell you?
Barometric pressure also changes with the weather—or rather, the weather changes with changes in barometric pressure. Being able to measure and analyze small changes in atmospheric pressure helps meteorologists track the weather and predict storms.
How does a homemade barometer work?
If the pressure of the air outside the jar is higher than inside (high pressure), it will push down on the balloon and the balloon lid will sink and the straw will point up. If the air pressure outside the jar is lower than inside (low pressure), the balloon will swell outwards and the straw will point down.