The Power of Air—Human Shrink Wrap

The world around us is filled with a powerful force—air pressure. Unfortunately, we rarely comprehend the full strength of this colorless, odorless gas that we take for granted. Students learn that standard air pressure is 101.3 kPa, 760 mm Hg, 14.7 psi; but they do not grasp what this means. Unless we have inner ear trouble or experience decompression in an airplane, it is unlikely that we notice changing air pressure—until now.