Whose discovery showed that air pressure falls with altitude?
Quick Answer
Blaise Pascal helped demonstrate that atmospheric pressure decreases higher up. His work led to the idea that air has weight and pressure changes with elevation.
The Full Story
Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician and physicist, is associated with experiments and reasoning that showed atmospheric pressure changes with altitude. Building on Torricelli’s barometer work, Pascal’s famous mountain experiments in the 1640s helped confirm that air pressure is lower at higher elevations. This was crucial for understanding weather systems, since pressure differences drive winds and storms. His name is also preserved in the SI unit of pressure, the pascal.
Key Facts
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