Physicists like to share the legend of a professor who asked students how they might determine the height of a building using a barometer. The story goes on to list some of the ways you might do that.

A PORTABLE barometer made by the well-known clockmaker Daniel Quare (1649-1724) has been lent by Mr. K. Meyrick, of Corbridge-on-Tyne, to the Science Museum, South Kensington. The barometer is an ...