mercury barometer
- noun
- /ˈmɜrkjʊri bəˈrɑːmɪtər/
- Archaic
:
barómetro de mercurio
- A mercury barometer was used to determine the atmospheric pressure at the time of testing.
Examples
-
A mercury barometer can accurately measure atmospheric pressure based on the height of mercury in a glass tube.
-
Pascal reasoned that if air has weight, pressure must decrease with altitude, and performed experiments with mercury barometers to prove it.
Academic text (2003) -
Meteorologists often use a mercury barometer to check changes in atmospheric pressure for weather forecasts.
-
To measure atmospheric pressure, the scientist relied on a mercury barometer that displayed the mercury height clearly.
Synonyms
26
4.6
A tool that measures air pressure to help predict the weather
1
9.9
A barometer that measures air pressure without using liquid
An instrument that shows air pressure to predict weather
A tool that measures air pressure without liquid, often using a small metal box
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the parts: 'barometer' is a device for measuring air pressure and 'mercury' names the liquid used in the instrument, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it is a barometer that uses mercury. This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase with the same logic found in many languages, making it immediately comprehensible.
Etymology
Mercury barometer is a simple instrument with a tall glass tube filled with mercury that moves up and down as the air around it pushes on the liquid. The height of the mercury shows the level of 'air pressure', so the barometer 'measures' that pressure and helps predict the weather.