1. What is the Atmospheric Pressure Equation?

The atmospheric pressure equation, also known as the barometric formula, calculates the pressure at a given height above sea level. It's based on the ideal gas law and assumes an isothermal atmosphere.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the barometric formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Atmospheric pressure at height h (Pa)
• \( P_0 \) — Sea level pressure (Pa)
• \( M \) — Molar mass of air (kg/mol)
• \( g \) — Gravitational acceleration (m/s²)
• \( h \) — Height above sea level (m)
• \( R \) — Universal gas constant (J/mol·K)
• \( T \) — Temperature (K)

Explanation: The equation describes how atmospheric pressure decreases exponentially with increasing altitude due to the weight of the air above.

3. Importance of Atmospheric Pressure Calculation

Details: Accurate atmospheric pressure calculation is crucial for meteorology, aviation, mountaineering, and various scientific applications where pressure variations affect physical processes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter sea level pressure in Pascals, molar mass in kg/mol, gravity in m/s², height in meters, gas constant in J/mol·K, and temperature in Kelvin. All values must be positive.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the standard sea level pressure?
A: Standard sea level pressure is 101,325 Pascals (1013.25 hPa or 1 atmosphere).

Q2: What is the typical molar mass of air?
A: The molar mass of dry air is approximately 0.02897 kg/mol.

Q3: What is the standard gravitational acceleration?
A: Standard gravity is 9.80665 m/s² at sea level.

Q4: What is the universal gas constant value?
A: The universal gas constant R is 8.314462618 J/mol·K.

Q5: How does temperature affect atmospheric pressure?
A: Higher temperatures generally result in lower atmospheric pressure at the same altitude due to thermal expansion of air.