Commonly used pressure units are the pascal (Pa), atmosphere (atm), bar, millimeter of mercury (mmHg), newton (N) and psi. The pascal is the international legal unit of pressure, corresponding to 1 newton per square meter (1 Pa = 1 N/m²). Other pressure units are converted from the pascal. For example, 1 bar equals 100,000 Pa and 1 atm equals 101,325 Pa. There are also other pressure units, such as millimeters of mercury, centimeters of water and psi, which are used in specific fields.
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Pressure is a fundamental physical quantity used to measure the force exerted on a given surface. It plays a crucial role in fields such as meteorology, industry and physics, in countries all over the world. Understanding the definition of a pressure transmitter, the units of pressure and knowing how to convert them are essential for correctly interpreting pressure measurements and evaluations.
Pressure is defined as the quotient of a force (F) over the surface area (S) to which it is applied: p = F/S. There are different units of pressure in use around the world, each with its own specific field of application and equivalence.
In this article, we'll give you a detailed explanation of the most commonly used pressure measurement units, and show you how to convert between them.
The pascal (Pa) is the unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI). It is defined as the pressure exerted by a force of 1 newton on a surface of 1 square meter.
The pascal is the reference unit for all other pressure units. In accordance withISO 80000-4, the names, symbols and conversion factors (PA, bar, psi) are formalized, guaranteeing consistent conversions.
To use this pressure converter, enter the pressure value to be converted (up to two decimal places), then select the starting and target units; the result is displayed automatically.
Click on the "⇄" button to instantly reverse the pressure units and recalculate the value.
The table below provides a list of the main pressure units with their respective conversion factors to Pascal, explaining the number of pascals corresponding to each unit.
| Pressure unit | Pascal equivalent |
|---|---|
| Technical atmosphere | 98066.5 Pa |
| Normal atmosphere | 101325 Pa |
| Centimeter of water | 98.0638 Pa |
| Centimeter of water at 4°C | 98.0638 Pa |
| Centimeter of water at 60°F | 98.0638 Pa |
| Centimeter of water at 68°F | 98.0638 Pa |
| Centimeter of mercury | 1333.22 Pa |
| Water foot | 2988.98 Pa |
| Foot of water at 4 °C | 2988.98 Pa |
| Foot of water at 60°F | 2986.116 Pa |
| Foot of water at 68°F | 2986.116 Pa |
| Kilogram-force per cm² (kilogram-force per cm²) | 98066.5 Pa |
| Hectopascal | 100 Pa |
| Inch of water | 248.082 Pa |
| Inch of water at 4 °C | 248.082 Pa |
| Inch of water at 60°F | 248.843 Pa |
| Inch of water at 68°F | 248.843 Pa |
| Inch of mercury | 3386.389 Pa |
| Inches of water | 249.082 Pa |
| Torr | 133.3224 Pa |
| Unit | 1 Pa |
| Bar | 100000 Pa |
| Kilogram-force per square metre | 9.80665 Pa |
| Kilonewton per square metre | 1000 Pa |
| Millibar | 100 Pa |
| Meter of water | 9806.38 Pa |
| Meter of mercury | 133322 Pa |
| Millimeter of water | 9.80638 Pa |
| Millimeter of water at 4°C | 9.80638 Pa |
| Millimeter of water at 60°F | 9.80638 Pa |
| Millimeter of water at 68°F | 9.80638 Pa |
| Millimeter of mercury | 133.3224 Pa |
| Millimeter of mercury at 0 °C | 133.3224 Pa |
| Megapascal | 1000000 Pa |
| Ounces per square inch | 430.92233 Pa |
| Pascal | 1 Pa |
| Pounds per square inch | 6894.757 Pa |
It's crucial to understand pressure units named after famous scientists, such as Pascal and Newton, which derive their proper names from Blaise Pascal and Isaac Newton. In accordance with the rules of the International System of Units, unit names start with a lower case letter, while symbols derived from proper names start with a capital letter.
Commonly used pressure measurement units are pascal (Pa), atmosphere (atm), bar, millimeter of mercury (mmHg), and psi. Other units are also used, including pound per square inch (lbf/in²), kilogram-force per square meter (kgf/m²), kilonewton per square meter (kN/m²), and millibar.
To convert pressure to bar, divide the pressure value in pascals by 100,000.
To convert bar to kilogram, use the relationship 1 bar = 1 kg/cm².
To convert a pressure value to another unit, use the specific conversion relationship between the two units and multiply the pressure value by the appropriate conversion factor. To convert pressure units, you can use an online converter or apply the appropriate conversion factors.
The definition of a pressure unit is: a measurement used to quantify the force exerted on a surface.
In the international system, the basic unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa). There are also multiples of the pascal, such as the hectopascal (hPa), megapascal (mPa) and gigapascal (gPa).
Technical atmosphere (at or ATA) is a unit of pressure equivalent to kilogram-force per square centimeter (kgf/cm²).
Yes, there are online converters that allow you to convert pressure values between different units. These tools can help you get quick and accurate answers for your conversions.
The water centimeter is a unit of pressure that measures the pressure exerted by a column of water 1 centimeter high. It is often used in medical and ventilation applications.
The inch of mercury is a unit of pressure that measures the pressure exerted by a column of mercury one inch high. It is frequently used in the aviation and meteorology industries.
Absolute pressure measures pressure in relation to absolute vacuum, while gauge pressure measures pressure in relation to atmospheric pressure. gauge pressure is equal to absolute pressure minus atmospheric pressure. The formula for calculating absolute pressure from gauge pressure is as follows:
gauge pressure represents the pressure difference with respect to atmospheric pressure, while absolute pressure is measured with respect to the absolute vacuum, where pressure is zero. By adding atmospheric pressure to gauge pressure, we obtain absolute pressure. It's important to note that atmospheric pressure varies with altitude and atmospheric conditions. It is therefore essential to take atmospheric pressure into account when calculating absolute pressure. This formula converts a gauge pressure measurement into an absolute pressure measurement, taking into account the zero reference for absolute pressure, which is the absolute vacuum.
In industry, pressure units such as bar, psi, kg/cm², MPa and inHg are commonly used to measure pressure in different contexts and applications.
The hectopascal is a unit of pressure equivalent to 100 pascals. It is often used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure.
The pascal symbol is Pa, in reference to the French physicist Blaise Pascal.
We hope this article has provided you with a clear understanding of pressure units and their conversion. Feel free to use online converters to make your conversion calculations easier.
Always remember to take into account the appropriate units when interpreting pressure measurements, as this may vary according to context and application.
Don't forget to consult the standards and references specific to your field of interest for more detailed information on pressure units and their use.
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