Barometer

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This simple mercury barometer was made around 1900 and retailed by Baird & Tatlock of Edinburgh. The rule is signed 'J. RABONE & SONS/ BIRMINGHAM'.

The pressure of the mercury in the instrument's cistern supports the column of mercury in the tube with a vacuum above it. As the atmospheric pressure changes, so does the height of the column.

The instrument may, therefore, be used to forecast changes in the weather, which is dependent on atmospheric pressure, or to determine the heights of mountains or the depths of mines.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-102-661-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1902.17
• Date: Around 1900
  c. 1900
  
• Material: Mercury; wooden scale
  Barometer, mercurial, simple
  
• Dimensions:
• What: Barometer, mercurial, simple
  
• Subject: 10. METEOROLOGY (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: Baird and Tatlock, Edinburgh (Maker)
  
• Where: Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  
• Event:
• Description: Simple mercurial barometer with adjustable wooden scale, the ru le is signed 'J. RABONE & SONS / BIRMINGHAM', retailed by Baird & Tatlock of Edinburgh, c. 1900
  
• References:
  • For Baird & Tatlock, see Clarke, T.N., Morrison-Low, A.D. & Simpson, A.D.C., Brass & glass scientific instrument making workshops in Scotland as illustrated by instruments from the Arthur Frank Collection at the Royal Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh: NMS, 1 
  • For the barometer, see Middleton, W. E. K., The History of the Barometer. Baltimore, Maryland: 1964 
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