Final answer:
Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude, dropping by about one third of its value for every 8800 meters ascended. This simplification assumes constant temperature and gravity, but actual pressure change is affected by various factors including temperature lapse rate and weather conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question addresses how the atmospheric pressure decreases with increasing altitude. At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is defined as 1 bar, equivalent to 760 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). As one ascends, the atmosphere becomes less dense and the pressure decreases. For instance, on the summit of Mt. Everest, which has an elevation of approximately 8848 meters, the air pressure drops to about 253 mm Hg. Atmospheric pressure can be approximated to decrease by roughly a third of its value every 8800 meters, but this is an oversimplification that assumes a constant temperature and gravity, which is not the case in reality due to factors like the temperature lapse rate and varying weather conditions.
Regarding the math behind the atmosphere pressure change, consider that each square meter of Earth's surface supports a column of air that weighs about 10,000 kg at the surface, resulting in a surface pressure of 101 kPa. However, this quickly drops as one moves upward, as less air mass is above and thus exerts less pressure. Also, the temperature of the atmosphere typically decreases with altitude at a rate of 6.5 K per km, affecting the rate at which pressure drops.