Museo Galileo
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Virtual Museum
Portable barometer
    • Setting:
      Room XIV
    • Inventor:
      Giovanni Battista Amici
    • Maker:
      Galgano Gori
    • Place:
      Florence
    • Date:
      1846
    • Materials:
      brass, glass
    • Dimensions:
      height 1058 mm
    • Inventory:
      1131
    • Portable barometer (Inv. 1131)

According to the inventories of the Museo di Fisica e Storia Naturale, this barometer was invented by Giovanni Battista Amici and made by Galgano Gori. It is enclosed in a brass tube fitted with a tripod. The sliding barometric scale is integral with a cursor to be aligned with the lower mercury level. The readings are taken by means of a vernier. This instrument, which allows the determination of very low pressure values, was used for altitude measurements during mountain-climbing. There is also a mercury thermometer with a centigrade scale.