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"But if you wanted to be highly scientific about it, you could tie a short piece of string to the barometer and swing it like a pendulum, first at ground level and then on the roof of the skyscraper. The height is worked out by the difference in the gravitational restoring force T = 2 pi times the square root of (1/g)." "Or if the skyscraper has an outside emergency staircase, it would be easier to walk up it and mark off the height of the skyscraper in barometer lengths, then add them up." "If you merely wanted to be boring and orthodox about it, of course, you could use the barometer to measure the air pressure on the roof of the skyscraper and on the ground, and convert the difference in millibars into feet to give the height of the building." "But since we are constantly being exhorted to exercise independence of mind and apply scientific methods, undoubtedly the best way would be to knock on the janitor's door and say to him. 'If you would like a nice new barometer, I will give you this one if you tell me the height of this skyscraper."' The student was Niels Bohr, the only Dane to win the Nobel Prize for Physics. Copyright © 1977 - 2002 FlowSoft Inc., 5 Oak Forest
Ct., St. Charles, MO 63303 USA. All rights reserved. Used in accordance
of subheading "Use of Site Materials and Information" under
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