Question

As we go up in the atmosphere from the surface of earth, the atmospheric pressure ________due to ______ of air above us.

• A. decreases, change in composition
• B. increases, decrease in weight
• C. decreases, decrease in weight
• D. increases, change in composition

Answer 1

The correct option is C decreases, decrease in weight

The pressure at any level in the atmosphere may be interpreted as the total weight of the air above a unit area at any altitude. At higher altitudes, there are fewer air molecules above a given surface than a similar surface at lower levels. Therefore, we can say that the atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude.