[Phys-l] Mercury barometers

[Kyle Forinash <kforinas@ius.edu>]

Hi all;

We have two mercury barometers hanging up in a store room, one is more 
than 25 years old (older than my career!), the other about 20 years old. 
> From two different sources I have been told a) that the things have 
mercury exposed directly to the air so we should get rid of them because 
of mercury poisoning and b) no need to worry, the mercury is covered 
either with a thin layer of oil or some kind of diaphragm that prevents 
direct exposure. Does anyone  know how I could go about figuring this 
out (the reservoir at the bottom is not visible in the older one and in 
the newer one you can see the reservoir but there is a casing making it 
impossible to see if/how it is sealed)?

kyle

--
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"The modern conservative is engaged in one
of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy;
 that is, the search for a superior moral 
 justification for selfishness."
  - John Kenneth Galbraith

kyle forinash     
 kforinas@ius.edu                     
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