Toricelli’s barometer used mercury. Pascal duplicated it using French wine of density 984 kg m–3. Determine the height of the wine column for normal atmospheric pressure.
In Toricelli's barometer mercury is used
Density of mercury (ρ1) = 13.6 × 103 kg/m3
Height of mercury column at atmospheric pressure (h1) = 0.76 m
Density of French wine (ρ2) = 984 kg/m3
Height of the French wine column at atmospheric pressure = h2
We know that pressure in a column of height h and density ρ = ρgh
where, g = acceleration due to gravity = 9.8 m/s2
Pressure in both the columns is the same i.e. atmospheric pressure
ρ1gh1 = ρ2gh2
ρ1h1 = ρ2h2
(13.6 × 103) × 0.76 = (984) × h2
h2 = 10.504 m
Hence the height of French white column at normal atmospheric pressure is 10.504 m.