There are 14.7 pounds of pressure weighing down on us Why are we not crushed by the weight of the atmosphere ?
2007-10-31 11:43:15 · 3 answers · asked by liltchaser 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Same reason why, when you swim to the bottom of the swimming pool, which is ~20 pounds of pressure, you're not crushed.
The atmosphere is just like a swimming pool. It pushes at you from all sides. It is the side and bottom pushing up from below that keeps you from being crushed by what is above you.
Additionally, you except for your lungs, are made of liquid and solid. You push back against the atmospheric pressure. You can crush an empty soda can pretty easily, but not a full one. You are full which makes you hard to crush. If you took a can of soda to the bottom of a pool or the ocean would you expect it to crush?
2007-10-31 11:55:15 · answer #1 · answered by Frst Grade Rocks! Ω 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's because pressure comes everywhere, and it balances out from all sides.
2007-10-31 18:53:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
because of the surface area of the earth, basically the pressure is being spread out over the earth and is absorbing the pressure.
2007-10-31 18:51:15 · answer #3 · answered by Ray E 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋