We all have pressure on our bodies at all times. This is known as atmospheric pressure, and it is about 14.7 pounds per square inch. This seems like a lot because we can’t feel anything, but without it, our bodies wouldn’t hold together! (Compare it to the pressure at 10,000 ft below sea level , where it is 4,400 pounds per square inch.) Atmospheric pressure is caused by the weight of the atmosphere, so as you go up in elevation, it decreases. The air is less dense and the molecules are farther apart. This is why airplanes need to have pressurized cabins, and it is also why there is less oxygen at high altitudes. In outer space, there is no pressure, and astronauts who do space walks have to have special pressurized suits. Atmospheric pressure works much like the pressue you can apply. If you take and squeeze an empty plastic water bottle what happens? You are applying pressure to the water bottle and it is caving inward. As the atmospheric pressure increases it has the same effect on the water bottle.
Pressure
What is atmospheric pressure?
Atmospheric pressure is the amount of pressure exerted on our bodies at all times. It is 14.7 pounds per square inch.
