Have you ever felt your ears pop? This strange sensation is actually related to atmospheric pressure! Our planet is surrounded by a layer of air called the atmosphere. The Earth’s gravity pulls this air towards it, creating pressure on everything at the surface. This is what we call atmospheric pressure.
The pressure from the atmosphere outside our bodies is balanced by the air pressure inside us. When the atmospheric pressure drops and becomes lower than the pressure inside our bodies, the air inside our ears moves out to balance things. On the other hand, if the atmospheric pressure rises and becomes higher than the pressure inside us, outside air rushes in to even things out. This movement of air is what causes that popping sound in your ears.
Have you ever noticed a water bottle getting crushed when an airplane lands? This happens due to changes in atmospheric pressure. Normally, the pressure inside the bottle matches the pressure at the Earth’s surface. However, in an airplane, the pressure is lower than on the ground. When you open the bottle and drink some water during the flight, the low-pressure air in the plane fills the space left by the water you drank.
Once the plane lands and you step outside, the atmospheric pressure at the surface is higher than inside the bottle. This higher outside pressure pushes on the bottle more than the air inside can push back, causing the bottle to get crushed.
How can someone lift a heavy car? Are we strong enough to handle such pressure? Surprisingly, yes! At sea level, atmospheric pressure is about 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi). This means the atmosphere presses down with 14.7 pounds of force on every square inch of our bodies.
So, why don’t we feel this huge pressure? It’s because our bodies are designed to handle it. Parts of our body like our ears, nose, lungs, and stomach contain air that exerts pressure equal to the atmospheric pressure. This balance between the outside atmospheric pressure and the air pressure inside us means they cancel each other out. That’s why we don’t get crushed by atmospheric pressure!
Inflate a balloon and hold it at sea level. Notice how it maintains its shape. Now, imagine taking it to a higher altitude. Discuss with your classmates what might happen to the balloon and why. This will help you understand how atmospheric pressure changes with altitude.
Use an online simulation to explore how atmospheric pressure affects objects. Adjust the pressure settings and observe how it impacts a virtual object. Share your findings with the class and explain how this relates to the popping sensation in your ears.
Work in groups to recreate the crushed water bottle experiment. Use a plastic bottle, fill it with hot water, seal it, and then cool it rapidly. Observe the changes and discuss why the bottle gets crushed. Relate this to the concepts of pressure changes during a flight.
Research how atmospheric pressure affects different aspects of daily life, such as weather patterns or cooking at high altitudes. Present your findings to the class, highlighting how understanding pressure can be useful in real-world situations.
Write a short story from the perspective of a molecule in the atmosphere. Describe its journey and interactions with objects and living beings. Use this creative exercise to demonstrate your understanding of atmospheric pressure and its effects.
**Topic: Atmospheric Pressure**
**Why don’t we get crushed by atmospheric pressure?**
Did you hear that? His ears popped. Is this related to atmospheric pressure? Yes. Our Earth is surrounded by a layer of air called the atmosphere. The gravitational force of the Earth constantly pulls this atmosphere towards itself. Due to this, the atmosphere exerts pressure on the surface of the Earth and on the objects present on its surface. This pressure exerted by the atmosphere is called atmospheric pressure.
This atmospheric pressure outside our body is balanced by the air pressure present inside our body. When the atmospheric pressure decreases and becomes less than the air pressure inside us, the air present inside our ears rushes out to balance the pressure. Conversely, when the atmospheric pressure increases and becomes greater than the air pressure inside us, the outside air rushes in to equalize the pressure. This movement of air results in that sudden pop.
Have you noticed this before? Has your water bottle ever been crushed when your airplane landed? This happens because of changes in atmospheric pressure. Generally, the atmospheric pressure inside the bottle is equal to that on the surface of the Earth. However, in an airplane, the atmospheric pressure is lower compared to that on the surface of the Earth. During the flight, when you open the bottle and drink some water, the atmospheric pressure in the bottle becomes low because the low-pressure air in the airplane occupies the space of the water you just drank.
When the airplane lands and you come out of the plane, the atmospheric pressure on the surface of the Earth is higher than the pressure inside the bottle. As a result, the outside air exerts greater pressure on the surface of the bottle than the air inside, causing the bottle to get crushed.
How is he able to lift such a heavy car? Are we also powerful enough to handle such a huge amount of pressure? Yes, to some extent, we are also carrying a significant amount of pressure. At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is about 14.7 psi, meaning the atmosphere exerts 14.7 pounds of force on every square inch of our body, which is substantial.
So, why don’t we feel this immense pressure? This is because various parts of our body, such as our ears, nose, lungs, and stomach, also contain air, which exerts pressure equal to the atmospheric pressure. In this way, the atmospheric pressure and the air pressure inside our body cancel each other out. As a result, we don’t get crushed by atmospheric pressure.
Atmospheric – Related to the layer of gases surrounding the Earth – The atmospheric pressure decreases as you climb higher up a mountain.
Pressure – The force exerted on a surface per unit area – When you inflate a balloon, the air inside increases the pressure on the balloon’s walls.
Air – The invisible mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth and is essential for breathing – Air is composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen, which are crucial for life on Earth.
Balance – A state where different forces are equal and stable – A tightrope walker must maintain balance to avoid falling off the rope.
Gravity – The force that attracts objects toward the center of the Earth – Gravity is the reason why we stay grounded and don’t float into space.
Bottle – A container with a narrow neck, used for storing liquids – When you squeeze a plastic bottle, you can feel the air pressure change inside it.
Ears – The organs on either side of the head that detect sound – Your ears can pop when there is a sudden change in air pressure, like during takeoff in an airplane.
Movement – The act of changing position or place – The movement of tectonic plates can cause earthquakes.
Surface – The outermost layer or boundary of an object – Water droplets form on the surface of a cold glass due to condensation.
Force – A push or pull that can change the motion of an object – The force of the wind can make trees sway back and forth.
