Characteristics of Atmospheric

Pressure
At sea level:
1 atm = 105 Nm-2
= 105 Pa
= 760 mm Hg
Acts equally in all directions
Not affected by the surface area of the object. Varies
with the height of the object above the sea level
Atmospheric pressure decreases as
the altitude increases.
Applications
Rubber sucker
Syringe
Drinking straw
Vacuum cleaner
Lift pump
Example
Calculate the total pressure acting on the body of a
diver at a depth of 450 m underwater.
(Take density of sea water = 1200 kg m-3, gravitational
field strength = 10 N kg-1 and atmospheric pressure =
105 Nm-2)
Solution
Total pressure
= Atmospheric pressure + hρg
= 105 Nm-2 + (450 m)(1200 kg m-3)(10 N kg-1)
= 5 500 000 Nm-2
Instrument For
Measuring
Atmospheric Pressure
Mercury Barometer
Consist of a thick walled glass
tube which is closed at 1 end
Shows that the atmospheric
pressure can be measured on
the basis of vertical height of
mercury in a glass tube
76 cm Hg
Fortin Barometer and Aneroid
Barometer