Feeling a bit under pressure? Join the club. You might not think so, but the atmosphere has weight. In fact, about one ton of air is always pressing down on you. Earth’s atmosphere has a lot of work to do, so you can hardly blame it for being so heavy. It absorbs ultraviolet solar radiation, keeps the surface of the planet warm, and serves to regulate the wild swings in temperature between day and night. It also contains oxygen. (You know, that stuff you breathe.) For more information on air pressure, see the Rain and Snow issue of Kids Discover magazine.
