Vacuum is measured in inches of mercury (Hg) using the concept of atmospheric pressure, where 1 atmosphere equals 760 torr. To determine the vacuum created by removing half the air from a 1L bottle, one would calculate half of atmospheric pressure, resulting in 0.5 atmospheres or 380 torr. The discussion references the mercury barometer as a traditional method for measuring pressure. The simplest calculation involves taking the standard atmospheric pressure of 1000 mbar and dividing it by two. Understanding these measurements is essential for accurately gauging vacuum levels.