EZ's conversation with NIST Scientists!

🌍 Earth’s atmosphere weighs over a quadrillion tons—so why doesn’t it crush us?
In this special Ask a Scientist feature, scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) respond directly to an EZ Science Kids Ambassador’s big question about the weight of the atmosphere.

💨 What NIST Scientists Explain
Even though the atmosphere has enormous mass:

💨 Air pressure pushes equally in all directions, not just downward

⚖️ The pressure inside our bodies balances the pressure outside

🌍 We are adapted to live under this pressure, so we don’t feel crushed

🧠 Big Science Ideas

🌍 Air has mass and weight

💨 Pressure is a force spread over an area

⚖️ Balanced forces don’t cause crushing

🎯 Why This Matters
Understanding air pressure helps explain weather systems, airplanes, deep-sea pressure, and what changes when we leave Earth’s atmosphere.

🤝 Featured Scientists

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Ask a Scientist Program

✨ EZ Science Kids
Big questions. Real scientists. Real answers.

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