Atmospheric pressure with altitude

Approximating the atmosphere as isothermal, the pressure decreases exponentially with the altitude $h$:

$p(h) = p_0\,e^{-h/H},\quad H \approx 8{,}5 \text{ km (isothermal scale)}.$

At $h=H\ln 2 \approx 5{,}9\,\text{km}$ the pressure halves: this is why above $5500\,\text{m}$ the body begins to suffer. On Everest, at $8848\,\text{m}$, one has $p\approx p_0\cdot e^{-1{,}04}\approx 0{,}35\,p_0$.

Links

Topics: Exponential function
Concepts: Exponential decay · Euler’s number
Functions: Exponential function
Skills: Modelling · Using formulae