The kilopascal (kPa) is a metric unit of pressure that often finds its application in various everyday and scientific contexts, such as meteorology, engineering, and automotive industries. One intriguing aspect of the kilopascal is its relationship to atmospheric pressure. At sea level, the standard atmospheric pressure is 101.3 kPa. This means when the weather forecast mentions a high or low-pressure system, it’s essentially describing variations in kilopascals, subtly influencing everything from weather patterns to flight dynamics.
In the world of construction and engineering, knowing a material’s tolerance in kilopascals is crucial for ensuring structural integrity and safety. For instance, the force exerted by an average car tire on the ground is about 220 kPa, showcasing kilopascals as a pivotal unit in designing components that need to withstand specific pressures. Such applications highlight its crucial role in both routine and critical decision-making processes.
The Pascal, named after the French mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal, is the SI unit of pressure. It is equivalent to one newton per square meter, symbolized as Pa. Despite its relatively recent introduction in 1971, the Pascal honors the pioneering work of Pascal in fluid mechanics and pressure, such as Pascal’s Law, which explains how pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted undiminished in all directions. Interestingly, a single Pascal is a tiny unit of pressure, roughly equal to the pressure exerted by a dollar bill resting flat on a table. This illustrates why everyday atmospheric pressure is typically measured in kilopascals (kPa), as one standard atmosphere is about 101.3 kPa.
Kilopascals | Pascals |
---|---|
0
kPa
|
0
Pa
|
10
kPa
|
10000
Pa
|
20
kPa
|
20000
Pa
|
30
kPa
|
30000
Pa
|
40
kPa
|
40000
Pa
|
50
kPa
|
50000
Pa
|
60
kPa
|
60000
Pa
|
70
kPa
|
70000
Pa
|
80
kPa
|
80000
Pa
|
90
kPa
|
90000
Pa
|
100
kPa
|
100000
Pa
|
110
kPa
|
110000
Pa
|
120
kPa
|
120000
Pa
|
130
kPa
|
130000
Pa
|
140
kPa
|
140000
Pa
|
150
kPa
|
150000
Pa
|
160
kPa
|
160000
Pa
|
170
kPa
|
170000
Pa
|
180
kPa
|
180000
Pa
|
190
kPa
|
190000
Pa
|
200
kPa
|
200000
Pa
|
210
kPa
|
210000
Pa
|
220
kPa
|
220000
Pa
|
230
kPa
|
230000
Pa
|
240
kPa
|
240000
Pa
|
250
kPa
|
250000
Pa
|
260
kPa
|
260000
Pa
|
270
kPa
|
270000
Pa
|
280
kPa
|
280000
Pa
|
290
kPa
|
290000
Pa
|
300
kPa
|
300000
Pa
|
310
kPa
|
310000
Pa
|
320
kPa
|
320000
Pa
|
330
kPa
|
330000
Pa
|
340
kPa
|
340000
Pa
|
350
kPa
|
350000
Pa
|
360
kPa
|
360000
Pa
|
370
kPa
|
370000
Pa
|
380
kPa
|
380000
Pa
|
390
kPa
|
390000
Pa
|
400
kPa
|
400000
Pa
|
410
kPa
|
410000
Pa
|
420
kPa
|
420000
Pa
|
430
kPa
|
430000
Pa
|
440
kPa
|
440000
Pa
|
450
kPa
|
450000
Pa
|
460
kPa
|
460000
Pa
|
470
kPa
|
470000
Pa
|
480
kPa
|
480000
Pa
|
490
kPa
|
490000
Pa
|
500
kPa
|
500000
Pa
|
510
kPa
|
510000
Pa
|
520
kPa
|
520000
Pa
|
530
kPa
|
530000
Pa
|
540
kPa
|
540000
Pa
|
550
kPa
|
550000
Pa
|
560
kPa
|
560000
Pa
|
570
kPa
|
570000
Pa
|
580
kPa
|
580000
Pa
|
590
kPa
|
590000
Pa
|
600
kPa
|
600000
Pa
|
610
kPa
|
610000
Pa
|
620
kPa
|
620000
Pa
|
630
kPa
|
630000
Pa
|
640
kPa
|
640000
Pa
|
650
kPa
|
650000
Pa
|
660
kPa
|
660000
Pa
|
670
kPa
|
670000
Pa
|
680
kPa
|
680000
Pa
|
690
kPa
|
690000
Pa
|
700
kPa
|
700000
Pa
|
710
kPa
|
710000
Pa
|
720
kPa
|
720000
Pa
|
730
kPa
|
730000
Pa
|
740
kPa
|
740000
Pa
|
750
kPa
|
750000
Pa
|
760
kPa
|
760000
Pa
|
770
kPa
|
770000
Pa
|
780
kPa
|
780000
Pa
|
790
kPa
|
790000
Pa
|
800
kPa
|
800000
Pa
|
810
kPa
|
810000
Pa
|
820
kPa
|
820000
Pa
|
830
kPa
|
830000
Pa
|
840
kPa
|
840000
Pa
|
850
kPa
|
850000
Pa
|
860
kPa
|
860000
Pa
|
870
kPa
|
870000
Pa
|
880
kPa
|
880000
Pa
|
890
kPa
|
890000
Pa
|
900
kPa
|
900000
Pa
|
910
kPa
|
910000
Pa
|
920
kPa
|
920000
Pa
|
930
kPa
|
930000
Pa
|
940
kPa
|
940000
Pa
|
950
kPa
|
950000
Pa
|
960
kPa
|
960000
Pa
|
970
kPa
|
970000
Pa
|
980
kPa
|
980000
Pa
|
990
kPa
|
990000
Pa
|
1000
kPa
|
1000000
Pa
|
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