Pascal's barrel

proper noun

A hydrostatic experiment in which a long vertical tube is inserted into an otherwise sealed barrel filled with water. Pouring water into the tube leads to an increase in hydrostatic pressure and causes the barrel to burst.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A hydrostatic experiment in which a long vertical tube is inserted into an otherwise sealed barrel filled with water. Pouring water into the tube leads to an increase in hydrostatic pressure and causes the barrel to burst.

Origin

Said to have been performed by Blaise Pascal in 1646 (though not mentioned in his preserved works).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Pascal's barrel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pascal's%20barrel

MLA

“Pascal's barrel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pascal's%20barrel. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Pascal's barrel,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pascal's%20barrel.

Source: Pascal's barrel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.