Question

(i) What are the factors that affect atmospheric pressure?
(ii) Why does air pressure vary with height?

Answer 1

1)The 3 main factors that affect barometric (air) pressure are:

• Temperature
• Altitude or Elevation.
• Moisture ow water vapour

2) Because of the compression, the lower layer of the atmosphere are denser and heavier than the upper layer, which are lighter and expansive. The average air pressure at sea level is high, but it goes on declining as the elevation increases. For every 900 feet of altitude, air pressure falls by 1 inch. Gravitational force of the Earth is mainly responsible for the decreasing air pressure with increasing altitude.