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Chapter 5: Problem 11

Why is it that if the barometer reading falls in one part of the world, it must rise somewhere else?

Short Answer

Expert verified
If the barometer reading falls in one part of the world, it rises somewhere else to maintain the overall balance of the earth's atmospheric pressure. The decrease signifies rising air, thus creating a low-pressure area which pulls denser air from high-pressure areas, consequently increasing the barometer reading there.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Barometric Pressure

First of all, let's comprehend what barometric pressure is. Barometric pressure is the pressure exerted by the atmosphere at any given point. It is measured by an instrument called a barometer, thus the name barometric pressure.
02

Balanced Atmospheric Pressure

The atmosphere is in a state of balance. When the pressure in one area decreases (barometric reading falls), it means that the air in that area is rising. This is usually associated with warmer, less dense air rising upwards. This creates a 'void' of sorts near the surface.
03

Equalization of Pressure

To equalize the pressure and fill the 'void' created by the rising air, cooler and denser air from surrounding regions (where the pressure is higher) moves into this region. Therefore, when the barometric reading falls in one region of the world, it doesn't mean that the total atmospheric pressure worldwide has decreased. Rather, it's an indication of the air pressure being redistributed, leading to an increase somewhere else to compensate the decrease.

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