Pilot Exam Coach

US Private Pilot

Switch to Canada PSTAR
Weather theoryQuestion 306 of 934

How does the weight of the air column at 18,000 feet compare with the weight at sea level?

  1. It is about 90 percent of the sea level weight
  2. It is about 25 percent of the sea level weight
  3. It is the same as the sea level weight
  4. It is almost 50 percent of sea level weight
Show answer

Correct answer: It is almost 50 percent of sea level weight

The shorter column weighs about 7.4 pounds, almost 50 percent of the sea level value.

Source: Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 12: Weather Theory — Atmospheric Pressure, page 287

Practice weather theory

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026