Pressure Unit Converter
Convert pressure units between different measurement systems
| Name | Symbol | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Pascal (Base unit of pressure in SI system) | Pa | 0,00 |
| Megapascal (Million pascals, commonly used in hydraulics) | MPa | 0,00 |
| Bar (Commonly used pressure unit) | bar | 0,00 |
| Atmosphere (Atmospheric pressure at sea level) | atm | 0,00 |
| Millimeters of mercury (Traditional unit for blood pressure measurement) | mmHg | 0,00 |
| Pounds per square inch (Popular unit in English-speaking countries) | psi | 0,00 |
| Kilopascal (Thousand pascals) | kPa | 0,00 |
| Hectopascal (Hundred pascals, used in meteorology) | hPa | 0,00 |
Pressure Units – Definitions and Applications
Pressure is one of the fundamental physical quantities, describing the force acting on a unit of surface area. It is expressed in different units depending on the scientific field, practical application, and country. Below we present the most commonly used pressure units, their definitions, and main areas of use.
1. Pascal (Pa) – the basic unit in the SI system
Symbol: Pa
Definition: 1 pascal is the pressure exerted by a force of 1 newton on an area of 1 square meter.
Application: The pascal is the basic unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI). Although it is the official unit, in practice, its multiples are often used because 1 Pa is a very small pressure. Mainly used in science and engineering.
2. Kilopascal (kPa)
Symbol: kPa
Definition: 1 kilopascal = 1,000 pascals.
Application: Commonly used in meteorology (e.g., atmospheric pressure measurements), automotive (e.g., tire pressure), and engineering. 100 kPa is approximately equal to atmospheric pressure.
3. Hectopascal (hPa)
Symbol: hPa
Definition: 1 hectopascal = 100 pascals.
Application: Widely used in meteorology to report atmospheric pressure. 1,013.25 hPa is the standard atmospheric pressure at sea level.
4. Megapascal (MPa)
Symbol: MPa
Definition: 1 megapascal = 1,000,000 pascals.
Application: Widely used in industry, especially in hydraulics and mechanics, where high-pressure values occur – e.g., in material strength testing and pressure systems.
5. Bar
Symbol: bar
Definition: 1 bar = 100,000 pascals (i.e., 0.1 MPa).
Application: A popular unit in Europe, especially in automotive (tire pressure), hydraulics, and HVAC technology. Although not part of the SI system, it is widely accepted.
6. Technical Atmosphere (atm)
Symbol: atm
Definition: 1 atmosphere = 101,325 Pa (standard atmospheric pressure at sea level).
Application: Used in physics and chemistry to describe gas pressure. Often found in older textbooks and scientific literature.
7. Millimeter of Mercury (mmHg)
Symbol: mmHg
Definition: A unit based on the height of a mercury column – 1 mmHg ≈ 133.322 Pa.
Application: A traditional unit in medicine for measuring blood pressure (e.g., 120/80 mmHg). Although it is not an SI unit, it is still widely used in medical diagnostics.
8. Pound per Square Inch (psi)
Symbol: psi
Definition: 1 psi = 6,894.76 Pa.
Application: A commonly used unit in English-speaking countries (USA, UK) in automotive, industry, and mechanical engineering. Popular for describing pressure in tires, compressed air systems, and hydraulic systems.