Intuitive feeling for atmospheric pressure based on height of water

Intuitive feeling for atmospheric pressure based on height of water

Atmospheric pressure is often measured with a mercury barometer, and a height of approximately 30 inches of mercury is often used to teach, make visible, and illustrate (and measure) atmospheric pressure. However, since mercury is not a substance that humans commonly come in contact with, water often provides a more intuitive way to conceptualize the amount of pressure in one atmosphere.

1 atmosphere (14.7 lbf/in²) is the amount of pressure that can lift water approximately 33.9 feet (10.3 m). Thus, a diver at a depth 10.3 meters under water in the ocean experiences a pressure of about 2 atmospheres (1 atm for the air and 1 atm for the water).

In terms of city water pressure, one atmosphere is approximately