As altitude increases, the pressure generally:

• A. Increases
• B. Decreases
• C. Stays the same
• D. Varies widely

Answer: (B)

As altitude increases, atmospheric pressure decreases. This phenomenon occurs due to the thinning of the air as one ascends into the atmosphere. The Earth's atmosphere is made up of layers of air, and the mass of air above a given altitude is greatly reduced at higher elevations. This results in fewer air molecules exerting pressure, leading to a significant decrease in atmospheric pressure.

This relationship is a fundamental concept in aviation and meteorology, as pilots and meteorologists must account for changes in air pressure and how it affects aircraft performance and weather patterns. Understanding the drop in pressure with altitude is crucial for flight planning and ensuring safe operations in varying atmospheric conditions.

Other potential choices like an increase in pressure or maintaining the same level do not reflect the physics of atmospheric behavior, and wide variations in pressure are generally accounted for by localized weather systems rather than being a consistent trend with altitude.