Block 4 – Lesson 3

What happened to the bottle?

This plastic bottle was sealed at approximately 14,000

feet (4,300 m) altitude, and was crushed by the increase

in atmospheric pressure —at 9,000 feet .

Considering this information, where is atmospheric

pressure higher?

a) In the highland

b) In the coast

Considering this information, where is atmospheric

pressure higher?

a) In the highland

b) In the coast

Atmospheric pressure is caused by the forces of

attraction between the Earth’s mass and the air

mass. It is measured in millibars with a

barometer.

Atmospheric

pressure has

some variations,

for example, the

higher the place,

the lower the

pressure, as there

is less oxygen

higher up.

Another variation has to do with temperature. When it

is hot, the gases expand and take up more space.

When it is cold, air contracts, and the same space is

taken up by a greater amount of gases.

Thus, in high places there is less pressure and less

temperature, but at sea level the pressure and

temperature are higher.

It is a measurement that

refers to the notions of

cold and heat. It was a

long process to develop

temperature measuring

techniques, until the

invention of the

thermometer. The scale

most commonly used is

Celsius.

Celsius = Centigrade

0o C = 32 o Fahrenheit.

It is the natural movement of

the air produced in the

troposphere. It is also a

source of energy. Wind is

caused by the Earth’s

rotation and revolution, and

by considerable differences

in solar radiation. Wind

speed and direction are

measured with an

anemometer.

Did you know that a

hygrometer is an

instrument used for

measuring the

moisture content in

the atmosphere?