Air Pressure and the Barometer

Part 3: Air Pressure and the Barometer

Goals

Materials

mercury barometer	thin wooden stick
flexible plastic bottle with cap	pencil
scissors	thread
marking pen	shoe box
long piece of spaghetti	graph paper
tape	paper fastener

Time
2 Hours

Procedure

Discuss air pressure, why it is important to know about air pressure, and how we measure it.
Describe who invented the first barometer (Torricelli), why he invented it, and what purpose it served.
Discuss the different methods used to measure air pressure and teach the different conversions.
--example 1atm=760=mmHg (The math concepts might be difficult, a review of the metric system may be beneficial.)
Have groups (4-6 students) make their own barometer.Ý (see handout on procedure)
Record the measurements of the mercury barometer and the hand made barometer on a graph. The measurements
should be done three times a day for a week. Make sure each reading is done at the same time every day. The
measurements taken from the hand made barometer are not going to be measured the same way as the mercury one.
The class is going to have to come up with a measuring system.
Results should show that higher pressures accompany fair weather while lower pressures accompany stormy
weather.
Have a class discussion on how David might have benefited from a barometer.

Major concepts

Assessment

Each student will turn in a graph of his/her results.
Each student will write an answer to why a barometer would be important at sea forÝsurvival.Ý They will also
incorporate Voyage of the Frog into their answer:Ý How might have David benefited from a barometer?
Each student will determine whether or not his/her group's barometer does work.Ý Criteria for success:Ý completion of
assigned work which shows student's understanding of the barometer and measurements.
See Rubrics for Air Pressure and the Barometer