Meteorology is the study of weather in a given region. Weather refers to whats going on in the troposphere (atmospheric layer next to the Earth). In other words, weather is the condition of the air layer above the Earth at a given place and time. Weather reports include air temperature, humidity (how wet the air […]
Why Your Ears Pop
Question: Why are airplanes pressurized to maintain a normal atmospheric pressure on the passengers’ bodies? Answer: The internal pressure of your body is accustomed to air pressure where you live. At the altitude that airplanes travel, the pressure is much lower than your internal body pressure. Should the pressure on the outside of your body […]
Air Pressure vs. Altitude
The gravitational attraction between the Earth and its atmosphere is greatest near the Earth’s surface. As a result, the density of air molecules is greatest near the Earth’s surface and decreases as the distance from Earth’s surface increases. The greater the density of air molecules the greater is their pressure. Air pressure is greatest at […]