According to our current understanding, at sea level, the atmosphere exerts the equivalent of many tonnes of force on your body at every moment. Yes, really. The air around you is pressing on you right now with an astonishing amount of force. Yet despite this, you don't feel crushed, your knees aren't buckling, and your bathroom scales certainly aren't reading 20 tonnes. How can all of these things be true at the same time? The answer lies in understanding the difference between pressure, force, and net force. Three Different Questions Before we begin, it's worth separating three questions that people often confuse: How much atmospheric force is acting on me? Potentially many tonnes in total, depending on how the forces are measured and summed across your body's surface. How much atmospheric force is pushing down on me? For an average-sized adult, roughly five tonnes-force acts downward over the body's projected horizontal area. How much extra weight does the at...
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