Question

Atmospheric pressure exerts a large force (equal to the weight of the atmosphere above your body—about 10 tons) on the top of your body when you are lying on the beach sunbathing. Why are you able to get up?

a) Body weight counteracts atmospheric pressure.
b) Atmospheric pressure decreases with temperature.
c) The body is buoyant, countering pressure.
d) Atmospheric pressure has negligible effects.

Answer 1

You are able to get up because of the body's buoyant force.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason you are able to get up even with the large force exerted by atmospheric pressure when you are lying on the beach sunbathing is because of the body's buoyant force.

The buoyant force is the force exerted by a fluid on an object immersed in it, and it is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

In this case, the body is able to counteract the pressure exerted by atmospheric pressure because it is buoyant and the buoyant force it experiences is equal to its own weight.