2. What is atmospheric pressure?
The pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere.
At sea level this pressure has a mean value of 101,325
Pascals (roughly 14.6959 pounds per square inch).
Atmospheric pressure
may be measured
using a barometer.
3. What is a barometer?
A barometer is a device used for measuring
atmospheric or barometric pressure.
The pressure acts on the basin containing liquid
driving the mercury levels in the tube up or down.
Evangelista Torricelli, an Italian
physicist, developed the first
mercury barometer in 1643.
4. Cox’s timepiece
James Cox working with John Joseph Merlin developed
a timepiece running on changing barometric pressure
in the 1760s.
A mercury barometer was used
to power this device.
James Cox was an entrepreneur
and a goldsmith.
5. Aneroid Barometers
Aneroid barometers were invented by French scientist
Lucien Viddie in 1843.
An aneroid barometer is another
form of barometer that functions
without using liquids.
Aneroid barometers use a small
sealed cell composed of beryllium
and copper to measure changing
pressure.
6. More about atmospheric pressure
Changing atmospheric pressures are responsible for
our winds and weather patterns.
Elevation and uneven temperatures affect pressure
levels.
Areas of high pressure will flow to areas of low
pressure.
7. Cold Energy, LLC
In 2004 Cold Energy, LLC obtained a patent for a
device deriving its power from differing atmospheric
pressures in geographically spaced locations.
The idea involves running a pipeline from an area of
relatively high pressure to an area of relatively low
pressure allowing air to flow through this pipeline.
These winds are capable of
generating 1,000 to 1,400
Megawatts of electricity.
This is enough to power to
250,000 5 Kilowatt homes.
