• Question: Why does the air get thinner as you go higher?

    Asked by Aimski to Adrian, Gaia, Jim, Scott, Vicky on 10 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Scott Lawrie

      Scott Lawrie answered on 10 Mar 2016:

      The further you get from Earth, the less gravity there is. Gravity not only holds us to the ground: it holds the air in place! The higher you go, the lower the gravity, the thinner the air 😎

    • Photo: Adrian Buzatu

      Adrian Buzatu answered on 10 Mar 2016:

      Pressures decreases, as gravity from Earth also decreases ….

    • Photo: Gaia Andreoletti

      Gaia Andreoletti answered on 10 Mar 2016:

      As Scott and Adrian said it is because of gravity: at higher altitudes gravity is not able to hold the oxygen close to the surface.

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