The Torricellian experiment vacuum refers to the vacuum created in a sealed tube when all the air has been removed. The word is spelled tɔːrɪˈsɛliən ɛksˈpɛrɪmənt ˈvækjuːm, with the first part coming from the name of Evangelista Torricelli, the inventor of the experiment. The IPA phonetic transcription breaks down the pronunciation of each syllable, making it easier to understand the spelling of this complex word. This experiment led to the discovery of atmospheric pressure and helped further the study of physics.
A Torricellian experiment vacuum refers to the scientific apparatus created by Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli in the 17th century to investigate the concept of atmospheric pressure. This experiment involved a long glass tube, closed at one end and filled with mercury, which was then inverted into a container filled with more mercury. The space above the mercury in the tube was thus devoid of air or any other gas, creating a partial vacuum.
The Torricellian experiment aimed to demonstrate the existence of a vacuum and further study the relationship between the weight of the mercury column in the tube and the atmospheric pressure acting on it. Torricelli observed that as the tube was filled with mercury, the column height decreased, indicating that the weight of the mercury balanced out the atmospheric pressure. This led to the development of the concept of pressure as the force applied by a fluid onto a surface.
The Torricellian experiment vacuum serves as a fundamental demonstration of the properties of gas pressure and provides a basis for understanding concepts such as barometry and the operation of suction-based devices. It revolutionized the understanding of the nature of air and the vacuum, paving the way for advancements in the fields of physics, chemistry, and engineering. Today, the Torricellian experiment vacuum is considered a foundational experiment in the study of gas behavior and has had a lasting impact on our understanding of the natural world.
The vacuum at the upper end of the barometer tube resulting from the sinking of the column of mercury to the point where it is balanced by the atmospheric pressure.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.