TERMIUM Plus®

From: Translation Bureau

On social media

Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.

HEIGHT MERCURY COLUMN [8 records]

Filter results by subject field Alphabetical list of terms

Filter results by subject field

Alphabetical list of terms

Record 1 2022-07-20

English

Subject field(s)
  • Meteorological Forecasting, Data Measurement and Analysis
CONT

Atmospheric pressure can be measured by any of several methods. The common laboratory method uses a mercury column barometer. The height of the mercury column serves as an indicator of atmospheric pressure.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Prévisions météorologiques et mesure et analyse des données
DEF

Hauteur de la colonne de mercure dans le baromètre à mercure.

Spanish

Save record 1

Record 2 2015-03-11

English

Subject field(s)
  • Weather Stations and Meteorological Instruments and Equipment
DEF

The cylindrical vessel in a mercury barometer into which the closed tube dips. The cistern may be adjustable (Fortin barometer) or fixed (Kew barometer) with respect to the tube.

CONT

The mercurial barometer consists of a glass tube, sealed at one end and filled with pure mercury. After being heated to expel the air, it is inverted in a small cup of mercury called the cistern. The mercury in the tube sinks slightly, creating above it a vacuum(the Torricellian vacuum). Atmospheric pressure on the surface of the mercury in the cistern supports the column in the tube, which varies in height with variations in atmospheric pressure and hence with changes in elevation, generally decreasing with increases in height above sea level.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Stations, instruments et équipements météorologiques
DEF

Réservoir cylindrique dans un baromètre à mercure dans lequel plonge le tube fermé. La cuvette peut être ajustable (baromètre de Fortin) ou fixe (baromètre de type Kew ou Tonnelot) par rapport au tube.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Estaciones, instrumentos y equipos meteorológicos
DEF

En un barómetro de mercurio, el depósito cilíndrico en el que está inmerso el extremo inferior del tubo cerrado. La cubeta puede ser ajustable con referencia a la columna (barómetro de Fortin) o fija (barómetro de escala compensada o barómetro de modelo Kew).

Save record 2

Record 3 2011-10-14

English

Subject field(s)
  • Meteorology
CONT

Remember that the apparent height of the mercury column in a barometer is also affected by the temperature. The Appendix to the lab manual lists corrections for barometric readings for different temperatures. For my data above, the barometer was at 24°C and had a mercury height of 759. 9 mm Hg.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Météorologie
CONT

L'unité de pression utilisée pour les applications météorologiques étant l'hectopascal (correspondant à l'ancienne unité le millibar), on passe de la hauteur de mercure en millimètres à l'hectopascal dans les conditions normales par 1 hPa = 0,750 mm Hg ou 1 mm Hg = 1,333223 hPa.

Spanish

Save record 3

Record 4 2010-04-30

English

Subject field(s)
  • Atmospheric Physics
DEF

Factor relating the pressure and the height of a column of mercury, e. g. : 1 hPa=0. 750062 mm, 1 mm=1. 333224 hPa.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Physique de l'atmosphère
DEF

Facteur reliant la pression et la hauteur d'une colonne de mercure, p. ex. : 1 hPa = 0,750062 mm, 1 mm = 1,333224 hPa.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Física de la atmósfera
DEF

Factor que relaciona la presión y la altura de una columna de mercurio; por ejemplo: 1 hPa = 0,750062 mm, 1 mm = 1,333224 hPa.

Save record 4

Record 5 2010-03-22

English

Subject field(s)
  • Weather Stations and Meteorological Instruments and Equipment
DEF

A type of cistern barometer in which the level of mercury in the cistern is adjusted to the zero point of the scale before each reading.

CONT

The Fortin barometer... features a cistern partly made of glass, in which one can observe the lower level of the mercury and determine the zero point of the barometric scale. Before reading the height of the mercury column in the barometric tube, it is necessary to adjust the mercury level in the cistern so that it coincides with the tip of an ivory reference screw.... The tube [is] enclosed in a brass tube with small windows to observe the mercury level. The tube is fitted with a vernier for readings and carries three engraved scales. There is also a mercury thermometer with a centigrade scale.

CONT

The Fortin Barometer was commonly used at meteorological stations to measure atmospheric pressure.

OBS

Fortin barometer. This portable model was developed by the French scientific-instrument maker Nicolas Fortin (1750-1831).

OBS

Any barometer in which the mercury level can be adjusted to zero is now known as a Fortin barometer.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Stations, instruments et équipements météorologiques
DEF

Baromètre à mercure dont l'extrémité inférieure plonge dans une cuvette de verre plus large qui lui est soudée, et dont le fond est constitué par une peau de chamois que l'on peut soulever ou abaisser à l'aide d'une vis.

CONT

baromètre de Fortin. C'est un baromètre à cuvette. Il est précis et offre surtout l'avantage d'être facilement transportable. Un cylindre de verre est assujetti à une monture métallique garnie intérieurement de bois. Le fond est constitué d'une peau de chamois qui peut comprimer plus ou moins le mercure par l'action d'un disque de bois qu'on déplace verticalement à l'aide d'une vis pointeau. Une pointe d'ivoire située à la partie supérieure du mercure permet de régler exactement le niveau avant l'observation.

CONT

Le français Jean Fortin (1750-1831) réalisa un baromètre à mercure transportable qui porte son nom [:] baromètre de Fortin [...]

OBS

Le mercure dans la cuvette est ainsi maintenu à un niveau constant, repéré par une pointe. On effectue la lecture de la hauteur de la colonne de mercure grâce à un vernier.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Estaciones, instrumentos y equipos meteorológicos
OBS

barómetro de cubeta ajustable: Barómetro de mercurio en el que la superficie libre del mercurio en la cubeta se hace coincidir, antes de la lectura, con el indicador fijo que marca el cero de la escala.

Save record 5

Record 6 2009-02-03

English

Subject field(s)
  • Medical Instruments and Devices
DEF

An instrument for measuring arterial blood pressure.

OBS

The two types of sphygmomanometers are a mercury column and a gauge with a dial face. The sphygmomanometer in most frequent use today consists of a gauge attached to a rubber cuff which is wrapped around the upper arm and is inflated to constrict the arteries.

OBS

Currently, there are three major configurations of blood pressure monitors for home use: the mercury sphygmomanometer, the aneroid manometer, and semiautomatic manual-inflation or automatic-inflation digital devices.

OBS

According to some sources, the terms "sphygmanometer", "sphygmometer" and "hemomanometer" are synonyms. In fact, these are three different instruments : a sphygmanometer measures arterial blood pressure; a sphygmometer or sphygmograph measures the strength and frequency of the pulse beat; an hemomanometer or hemodynamometer is an instrument by which the pressure of the blood in the arteries, or veins, is measured by the height to which it will raise a column of mercury.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Instruments et appareillages médicaux
DEF

Appareil composé d'un brassard gonflable et d'un manomètre, servant à mesurer la pression artérielle.

OBS

Il ne faut pas confondre le terme sphygmomanomètre avec le terme sphygmographe qui désigne un instrument servant à enregistrer le pouls artériel. Le sphygmomanomètre diffère également de l'hémomanomètre ou hémodynamomètre, manomètre permettant la mesure de la pression sanguine intravasculaire.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Instrumental médico
DEF

Instrumento para el registro indirecto de la tensión arterial.

OBS

Está constituido por un manguito hinchable que se ajusta alrededor del brazo, una pera que controla la presión del manguito y un manómetro aneroide o de mercurio.

Save record 6

Record 7 2005-10-20

English

Subject field(s)
  • Weather Stations and Meteorological Instruments and Equipment
DEF

A type of cistern barometer.

OBS

No adjustment is made for the variation of the level of the mercury in the cistern as pressure changes occur; rather, a uniformly contracting scale is used to determine the effective height of the mercury column.

OBS

cistern barometer: A mercury barometer in which the lower mercury surface is larger in area than the upper surface. The basic construction of a cistern barometer is as follows: A glass tube 1 m in length, sealed at one end, is filled with mercury, and then inverted. The tube is mounted so that its mouth penetrates the upper surface of a reservoir of mercury called the cistern of the barometer. Cistern barometers are classified according to whether the cistern is fixed in volume (see Kew barometer) or variable in volume (see Fortin barometer).

French

Domaine(s)
  • Stations, instruments et équipements météorologiques
DEF

Type de baromètre à réservoir [cuvette].

OBS

Un baromètre à mercure se compose d'un tube de 85 cm de long. Ce tube est fermé à une extrémité et rempli de mercure. Le tube est renversé et l'extrémité ouverte est immergée dans une cuvette remplie de mercure. La hauteur de la colonne de mercure qui en résulte (environ 76 cm) est équilibrée par le poids de l'atmosphère et, par conséquent, de sa pression. Les baromètres des stations opérationnelles ont une cuvette fixe (de type Kew). Les baromètres d'inspection, qui sont conçus pour être portatifs, ont une cuvette ajustable (Fortin).

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Estaciones, instrumentos y equipos meteorológicos
Save record 7

Record 8 2002-06-06

English

Subject field(s)
  • Weather Stations and Meteorological Instruments and Equipment
DEF

Rapid vertical oscillations of the column of a mercury barometer.

CONT

The mercurial barometer... in its simplest form... consists of a glass tube a little more than 30 inches in length and of uniform internal diameter. With one end closed, the tube is filled with mercury, and inverted into a cup of mercury. The mercury in the tube falls until the column is just supported by the pressure of the atmosphere on the open cup, leaving a vacuum at the upper end of the tube. The height of the column indicates atmospheric pressure, greater pressures supporting higher columns of mercury. The mercurial barometer is subject to rapid variations in height, called pumping, due to pitch and roll of the vessel and temporary changes in atmospheric pressure in the vicinity of the barometer. Because of this... the mercurial barometer has been replaced at sea by the aneroid barometer.

Key term(s)
  • barometer pumping

French

Domaine(s)
  • Stations, instruments et équipements météorologiques
DEF

Rapides oscillations verticales de la colonne d'un baromètre à mercure.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Estaciones, instrumentos y equipos meteorológicos
DEF

Desplazamientos verticales rápidos que experimenta la columna de un barómetro de mercurio.

Save record 8

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Display options

Change the order of display of the official languages of Canada
Option to display the non-official languages (Spanish or Portuguese)
Display definitions, contexts, etc., on records

Features

GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)

Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: