gen-explain-atmospheric-pressure-and-altitude-as-you-would-to-a-ddd5

Explain atmospheric pressure and altitude as you would to a capable student, in 3-4 sentences.

# Atmospheric Pressure and Altitude Atmospheric pressure is the weight of all the air molecules above you pressing down due to gravity—at sea level, this entire column of air creates about 14.7 pounds of pressure on every square inch of your body. As you climb to higher altitudes, there's less air stacked above you, so the atmospheric pressure decreases. This is why your ears pop when you go up a mountain or fly in a plane: the air pressure outside your body drops while the pressure inside your ears stays temporarily higher until they equalize. At the top of Mount Everest, the atmospheric pressure is only about one-third of what it is at sea level, which is why climbers need supplemental oxygen to breathe.