Description
In 1647, Otto von Guericke of Magdeburg invented the first vacuum pump. Guericke was a physicist, engineer and natural philosopher. His intention in creating the vacuum pump was to study vacuums and the role of air in combustion and respiration.

The vacuum pump is, in principle, a relatively simple instrument. As the handle is turned, the pump moves up and down and the air in the bell jar is evacuated and a partial vacuum is created.

A perfect vacuum is a space with no matter in it. However, a perfect vacuum has never been obtained, the most complete man-made vacuum had approximately 100,000 gas molecules cc, compared to 30 billion billion in air at sea level. It is estimated that in space there is roughly one molecule per cubic meter.

A famous early demonstration of a vacuum was carried out by Otto von Guericke in Magdeburg. A vacuum pump evacuated air from the inside of two hemispheres that had been placed open edge to open edge. Two teams of eight horses were then attached to the hemisphere handles but failed to pull apart the “Magdeburg” hemispheres.


Created by: Boris Jardine