Abstract
The atmosphere is a compressible fluid bound to the planet by the force of gravity. Pressure decreases with altitude because the weight of the overlying gas decreases. Because air is compressible the density decreases with altitude as the pressure decreases. The variation of pressure and density with altitude is described by the barometric law.
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© 1975 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland
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Walker, J.C.G. (1975). Atmospheric Physics. In: McCormac, B.M. (eds) Atmospheres of Earth and the Planets. Space Science Library, vol 51. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1799-2_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1799-2_3
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