Which instrument indicates flight altitude by sensing pressure changes and displaying altitude in feet or meters?

Which instrument indicates flight altitude by sensing pressure changes and displaying altitude in feet or meters?

• A. Altimeter
• B. Airfoil
• C. Air Density
• D. Absolute Altitude

Answer: (A)

Altitude is read from a sensor that translates atmospheric pressure into height. The altimeter contains a sealed aneroid capsule that expands or contracts as the ambient static pressure changes with height. This movement is linked to a dial or digital display, giving you the altitude in feet or meters. By adjusting the pressure setting (the Kollsman window), you align the reading with a reference pressure so it shows altitude above mean sea level (or, with a standard setting, pressure altitude). This is what distinguishes the altimeter from other concepts like a wing shape (airfoil), a property of the air (air density), or a non-instrument concept of altitude (absolute altitude).

Altitude is read from a sensor that translates atmospheric pressure into height. The altimeter contains a sealed aneroid capsule that expands or contracts as the ambient static pressure changes with height. This movement is linked to a dial or digital display, giving you the altitude in feet or meters. By adjusting the pressure setting (the Kollsman window), you align the reading with a reference pressure so it shows altitude above mean sea level (or, with a standard setting, pressure altitude). This is what distinguishes the altimeter from other concepts like a wing shape (airfoil), a property of the air (air density), or a non-instrument concept of altitude (absolute altitude).