Air Density from Altitude Calculator
What is Air Density Calculation from Altitude?
Air density is the mass of air per unit volume and it decreases with altitude. As you go higher above sea level, both the temperature and pressure decrease, leading to a reduction in air density. We can calculate air density using the barometric formula combined with the Ideal Gas Law.
Formula:
ρ = P / (R × T)
Where:
- ρ = Air density in kg/m³
- P = Pressure in Pascal (Pa)
- R = Specific gas constant for dry air (287.05 J/(kg·K))
- T = Temperature in Kelvin (calculated using lapse rate)
Barometric Formula for Pressure:
P = P₀ * (1 – (L * H) / T₀) ^ 5.2561
| Altitude (m) | Air Density (kg/m³) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1.225 | ρ = P₀ / (R × T₀) = 101325 / (287.05 × 288.15) = 1.225 |
| 1000 | 1.112 | ρ = P / (R × T) = 89874.5 / (287.05 × 278.65) = 1.112 |
| 5000 | 0.736 | ρ = P / (R × T) = 54038.9 / (287.05 × 258.15) = 0.736 |