Mon Prof Augmenté
Air Presses Down
Age 11 · Physics
Air is real stuff, so a tall stack of it weighs something and pushes down on everything below. When that push is strong the sky is usually clear, and when it is weaker rain clouds often gather.
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Age 11: open this week
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In the picture
- An arrow in the wide blue column: air pushing down hard
- An arrow in the narrow grey column: air pushing down more gently
- The needle on the dial: leaning towards the stronger push
Examples
- A balloon feels a little heavier once you blow it up, because you have added air inside.
- Your ears pop going up a hill, as the push of the air around you gets weaker.
Key takeaways
- Air has weight, so the air above us presses down on us all the time.
- That push is measured in hectopascals: it drops in rainy lows and rises in fair highs.
Quiz: Air Presses Down (Age 11)
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Why does air press down on everything below it?
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What unit is used to measure the push of the air?
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What happens to air pressure in a rainy low?
The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.
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