Ask an Explainer
Q:
Why doesn't air pressure squash you?
A:
Objects will not get squashed if they're in equilibrium, which is a balance of the forces pushing them down and forces pushing them up.
We have a lot of air pressure on us: about 7,000 kg (15,000 pounds) of air pushing on us from every direction. But we're not hollow: we're full off blood, bones, and muscle that pushes back against this force. This keeps everything balanced, and stops us from being smushed into a pulp.
Posted on February 19, 2014 at 3:29 pm
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