The Atmosphere

Air and Air Pressure

How much pressure does the atmosphere exert upon us?

Average air pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch (1.03 kilograms per square centimeter) at sea level. Measured in inches of mercury, this comes to 29.92 inches, or 1,013 millibars. To put it another way, a cubic yard of sea-level air weighs a bit over two pounds (about 0.7 kilograms per cubic meter).

