Pressure Calculator
Pressure is a fundamental concept in many areas of science, including physics, chemistry, and engineering. It refers to the force exerted on an object or surface per unit area. In our everyday life, we experience pressure in many ways, such as the air pressure in our car tires, the pressure exerted on our body when swimming underwater, and the pressure of the atmosphere on the Earth’s surface. A pressure calculator is a handy tool that helps in converting pressure units and calculating pressure based on given formulas.
In this article, we will discuss the formulas necessary to complete the pressure calculation, the different units of pressure, and a worked example calculation using our pressure calculator.
The Basic Formula for Pressure
The basic formula for pressure (P) is given as:
P = F / A
where:
| Symbol | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| P | Pressure | The pressure exerted on an object or surface |
| F | Force | The force applied on the object or surface (in newtons, N) |
| A | Area | The area over which the force is distributed (in square meters, m²) |
It is essential to note that the force applied should always be perpendicular to the surface area, as pressure is a scalar quantity and only depends on the perpendicular component of the force.
Units of Pressure
There are several units of pressure, and some of the most commonly used ones are:
| Unit | Symbol | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Pascal | Pa | The pressure exerted on an object or surface |
| Atmosphere | atm | The force applied on the object or surface (in newtons, N) |
| Bar | The area over which the force is distributed (in square meters, m²) | |
| Torr | Torr | A unit of pressure commonly used in vacuum measurements. It is named after the Italian mathematician Evangelista Torricelli. 1 Torr = 133.322 Pa. |
| Pounds per square inch | psi | A unit of pressure commonly used in the United States and the United Kingdom. It is equivalent to the force of one pound-force per square inch of area. 1 psi = 6894.76 Pa. |
Our pressure calculator can easily convert between these units and more, making it simple to understand and compare different pressure measurements.
Worked Example Calculation
Let’s go through an example of how to use our pressure calculator to calculate the pressure exerted by a force on a surface and convert the result to different pressure units.
Suppose we have a force of 100 N applied perpendicular to a surface with an area of 0.5 m². We want to find the pressure exerted on the surface and express it in pascals, atmospheres, and psi.
Step 1: Calculate the pressure in pascals.
Using the basic formula for pressure, we can find the pressure in pascals:
P = F / A
P = 100 ~N / 0.5 ~m^2
P = 200 ~Pa
Step 2: Convert the pressure to atmospheres.
To convert the pressure from pascals to atmospheres, we can use the conversion factor:
1 atm = 101325 ~Pa
So, to find the pressure in atmospheres:
P(atm) = P(Pa) / 101325
P(atm) = 200 ~Pa / 101325
P(atm) ≈ 0.00197 ~atm
Step 3: Convert the pressure to psi.
To convert the pressure from pascals to psi, we can use the conversion factor:
1 psi = 6894.76 ~Pa
So, to find the pressure in psi:
P(psi) = P(Pa) / 6894.76
P(psi) = 200 ~Pa / 6894.76
P(psi) ≈ 0.029 ~psi
Thus, the pressure exerted on the surface is 200 Pa, approximately 0.00197 atm, and approximately 0.029 psi.
Conclusion
Understanding pressure and its various units is crucial in many scientific and engineering applications. Our pressure calculator simplifies the process of calculating pressure and converting between different pressure units, making it a valuable tool for students, professionals, and anyone interested in the concept of pressure.