Question

Earth’s atmosphere is in hydrostatic equilibrium. What this means is that the pressure at any point in the atmosphere must be high enough to support the weight of air above it. How would you expect the pressure on Mt. Everest to differ from the pressure in your classroom? Explain why.

Answer 1

Answer: The pressure that one experiences on the Mount Everest will be different from the one, in a classroom. It is because pressure and height are inversely proportional to each other. This means that as we move up, the height keeps on increasing but the pressure will keep on decreasing. This is the case that will be observed when one stands on the Mount Everest as the pressure is comparatively much lower there.

It is because as we move up, the amount of air molecules keeps on decreasing but all of the air molecules are concentrated on the lower part of the atmosphere or on the earth's surface.

Thus a person in a low altitude inside a classroom will experience high pressure and a person standing on the Mount Everest will experience low pressure.