Manometers measure a pressure difference by balancing the weight of a fluid column

between the two pressures of interest. Large pressure differences are measured with heavy
fluids, such as mercury (e.g. 760 mm Hg = 1 atmosphere).
History

Evangelista Torricelli (16081647) was an Italian physicist and mathematician, best known for his
invention of the barometer.
In 1643 he created a tube approximately one meter long, sealed at the top, filled it with mercury,
and set it vertically into a basin of mercury. The column of mercury fell to about 76 cm, leaving a
Torricellian vacuum above. As we now know, the column's height fluctuated with
changing atmospheric pressure; this was the first barometer. The discovery of the principle of
thebarometer has perpetuated his fame ("Torricellian tube", "Torricellian vacuum"). The torr, a unit
of pressure used in vacuum measurements, is named after him. "12 years before Torricelli's
observations, Descartes, the French philosopher, had made the same observation, although he does
not appear to have turned it to any account.

Advantages
A manometer does not have to be calibrated against any standard;
the pressure difference can be calculated from first principles.
low cost
simple construction
time tested in applications

Disadvantages

While it can be adapted to measure very small pressure differences,

it can not be used conveniently for large pressure differences although it is possible to connect a number of manometers in series
and to use mercury as the manometric fluid to improve the range.
Some liquids are unsuitable for use because they do not form welldefined menisci. Surface tension can also cause errors due to
capillary rise; this can be avoided if the diameters of the tubes are
sufficiently large - preferably not less than 15 mm diameter.
A major disadvantage of the manometer is its slow response, which
makes it unsuitable for measuring fluctuating pressures.

It is essential that the pipes connecting the manometer to the pipe

or vessel containing the liquid under pressure should be filled with
this liquid and there should be no air bubbles in the liquid.
(important point to be kept in mind)

Use
A simple manometer can be built by partially filling a clear plastic tube with a colored
liquid to allow the fluid level to be easily observed. The tube is then bent into a U-shape and
fixed in an upright position. The levels of the fluid in the two vertical columns should be
equal at this point, as they are currently exposed to the same pressure. This level is
therefore marked and identified as the zero point of the manometer.
The manometer is placed against a measured scale to allow any difference in the
height of the two columns. This height differential can be used directly to make relative
comparisons between different test pressures. This type of manometer can also be used to
calculate the absolute pressure when the density of the liquid in the manometer is known.
One end of the tube is connected with a gas-tight seal to a test pressure source. The
other end of the tube is left open to the atmosphere and will therefore be subjected to a
pressure of approximately 1 atmosphere (atm). If the test pressure is greater than the
reference pressure of 1 atm, the liquid in the test column is forced down the column. This
causes the fluid in the reference column to rise by an equal amount.
The pressure exerted by a column of fluid can be given by the equation P = hgd. In
this equation, P is the calculated pressure, h is the height of the fluid, g is the force of
gravity and d is the density of the liquid. Because the manometer is measuring a pressure
differential rather than an absolute pressure, we use the substitution P = Pa -- P0. In this
substitution, Pa is the test pressure and P0 is the reference pressure.