Final answer:
The statement is true; atmospheric pressure decreases exponentially with elevation. This decrease is modeled by the equation p(y) = poexp(-ay), where 'a' includes factors like temperature lapse rate. While simplified, the statement reflects the general trend in atmospheric pressure changes with altitude.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that atmospheric pressure decreases approximately exponentially as elevation increases is true. Atmospheric pressure is a measure of the weight of the air above us, and the density of air, which contributes to this pressure, decreases with altitude.
Furthermore, the continuous rate of decrease being 12 percent is a simplification that would be accurate if the temperature were constant. However, in reality, temperature variations with altitude can affect the rate of pressure decrease. The actual equation that models the change in pressure with altitude may take the form of p(y) = poexp(-ay), where a reflects a more complex interaction including the change in temperature, commonly referred to as the lapse rate.