Atmospheric pressure—the pressure exerted by the weight of air above Earth's surface—is measured by a barometer. A barometer uses mercury, air, or water to measure atmospheric pressure. Its invention in the mid-sixteenth century was credited to Evangelista Torricelli. A mercury barometer consists of a glass tube about thirty-three inches long filled with mercury. This tube is inverted over a chamber that is also filled with mercury. An aneroid barometer, on the other hand, uses a sealed chamber with a pointer. It is possible to make an aneroid barometer using things you have in your kitchen. Below are the steps for making your own barometer.
- Get a glass jar; a squat, round can, such as a cat food can; or a cup with a wide mouth. You will also need water (optional), an eight- to nine-inch-long bamboo skewer, a twelve-inch round balloon, rubber bands, glue, tape, scissors, a piece of cardboard, and markers.
- If your canister, can, or jar is light and may topple once the skewer is attached, put some water in the container to make it steadier. If your jar is stable and heavy, there is no need to add water.
- Cut off the tapering end of the balloon, slightly above the thin, long part. Stretch the wide part of the balloon over the jar. The edge of the balloon should reach about halfway down the side of the jar. Slip one or two rubber bands over the side of the jar and wrap them tightly around it so that the balloon will not come loose when pressure builds up and to prevent air from entering the jar.
- Place glue on the blunt end of the bamboo skewer. Position it at the center of the balloon, which is over the cup. Secure it in place with tape until the glue is completely dry.
- While waiting for the glue to dry, you can prepare the gauge part of the barometer. Cut the cardboard to about five inches wide and seven inches long. If you are using printed cardboard, cover it with white bond paper.
- Place the jar on a counter near a wall and position the cardboard on the wall. The pointed end of the bamboo skewer should point to the cardboard. Move the cardboard slightly upward so that its top half is above the height of the jar. Tape the cardboard gauge to the wall. Mark the spot where the pointer is located. Look at the weather outside and note it on the card beside the mark you have made.
- Check your homemade barometer daily. If the pointer is above your initial mark, it means that the pressure is rising. If the pointer is below your mark, the pressure is going down. You can place a small notebook beside your barometer to record your readings. You can also place marks on your cardboard gauge to indicate significant pressure buildup or drop.
Learn how to read the barometer so you can make weather predictions. When the pointer is above your median and continues to rise, it means that the weather will improve. If it is below your median, the pressure is lower. When it steadily moves down, you can expect rain or even a storm. If the pointer moves slowly downward, light rain is very likely.
Make a Barometer
Make a Barometer : Multi-thousand tips to make your life easier.
Atmospheric pressure—the pressure exerted by the weight of air above Earth's surface—is measured by a barometer. A barometer uses mercury, air, or water to measure atmospheric pressure. Its invention in the mid-sixteenth century was credited to Evangelista Torricelli. A mercury barometer consists of a glass tube about thirty-three inches long filled with mercury. This tube is inverted over a chamber that is also filled with mercury. An aneroid barometer, on the other hand, uses a sealed chamber with a pointer. It is possible to make an aneroid barometer using things you have in your kitchen. Below are the steps for making your own barometer.
- Get a glass jar; a squat, round can, such as a cat food can; or a cup with a wide mouth. You will also need water (optional), an eight- to nine-inch-long bamboo skewer, a twelve-inch round balloon, rubber bands, glue, tape, scissors, a piece of cardboard, and markers.
- If your canister, can, or jar is light and may topple once the skewer is attached, put some water in the container to make it steadier. If your jar is stable and heavy, there is no need to add water.
- Cut off the tapering end of the balloon, slightly above the thin, long part. Stretch the wide part of the balloon over the jar. The edge of the balloon should reach about halfway down the side of the jar. Slip one or two rubber bands over the side of the jar and wrap them tightly around it so that the balloon will not come loose when pressure builds up and to prevent air from entering the jar.
- Place glue on the blunt end of the bamboo skewer. Position it at the center of the balloon, which is over the cup. Secure it in place with tape until the glue is completely dry.
- While waiting for the glue to dry, you can prepare the gauge part of the barometer. Cut the cardboard to about five inches wide and seven inches long. If you are using printed cardboard, cover it with white bond paper.
- Place the jar on a counter near a wall and position the cardboard on the wall. The pointed end of the bamboo skewer should point to the cardboard. Move the cardboard slightly upward so that its top half is above the height of the jar. Tape the cardboard gauge to the wall. Mark the spot where the pointer is located. Look at the weather outside and note it on the card beside the mark you have made.
- Check your homemade barometer daily. If the pointer is above your initial mark, it means that the pressure is rising. If the pointer is below your mark, the pressure is going down. You can place a small notebook beside your barometer to record your readings. You can also place marks on your cardboard gauge to indicate significant pressure buildup or drop.
Learn how to read the barometer so you can make weather predictions. When the pointer is above your median and continues to rise, it means that the weather will improve. If it is below your median, the pressure is lower. When it steadily moves down, you can expect rain or even a storm. If the pointer moves slowly downward, light rain is very likely.