Influential Innovator: Otto von Guericke

The 1650s were an exciting period in world history. The Taj Mahal was completed at Agra, New York City was incorporated, coffee was introduced in France, and Otto von Guericke invented the vacuum pump.

Born in 1602 in Magdeburg, Prussia (now Germany), von Guericke left home at 15 to attend the University of Leipzig where he studied mathematics, mechanics and physics. He also attended the University of Leyden and the University of Jena, where he studied law.

Needless to say, he was a smart guy. Throughout his lifetime, von Guericke made contributions to philosophy, astronomy, physics and engineering. He even served as the mayor of his hometown for more than 30 years. Yet of all of von Guericke’s achievements, his work on vacuum pumps is best remembered.

Since the time of the ancient Greeks, people believed that a space devoid all matter went against the nature of the world and therefore could not exist. Even Aristotle argued against its existence. When he began his research, von Guericke studied the role of air in respiration and combustion and attempted to disprove the idea that a vacuum could not exist in nature.

To prove that a vacuum and atmospheric pressure existed, von Guericke performed one of his most well-known experiments: the Magdeburg Hemispheres. Von Guericke placed two 20-inch copper hemispheres together and used his pump to remove the air inside, creating a sealed vacuum. The strength of the vacuum was so strong that two teams of 15 horses couldn’t pull the hemispheres apart. (Check out this video to see the experiment in action. Horses not included.)

This experiment set the stage for numerous breakthroughs in vacuum technology and atmospheric research. After reading about von Guericke’s work, Robert Boyle and Robert Hooke designed an improved air pump and used it to conduct experiments. Their research led to Boyle’s Law and, centuries later, to the ideal gas law.

The basics of atmospheric pressure and vacuum that von Guericke discovered are still relevant in vacuum technology today. From canning to plastics, many industrial processes require vacuum pumps. Atlas Copco offers a wide range of rotary screw, rotary piston and rotary vane pumps, as well as dry vacuum and liquid ring pumps, for industrial applications. Want to learn more about our products? Visit our website or contact us today.