PSI stands for "pounds per square inch" and is a unit of pressure measurement in the imperial system. It represents the amount of force (in pounds) applied over an area of one square inch. Specifically, 1 PSI means that one pound of force is exerted on an area of one square inch
. PSI is commonly used to measure the pressure of gases (pneumatic pressure) and liquids (hydraulic pressure). It is also used to express tensile strength (resistance to pulling forces) and elastic modulus (resistance to deformation or stiffness of materials)
. In practical terms, PSI is widely used for:
- Measuring tire pressure to ensure proper inflation
- Gauging pressure in hydraulic and pneumatic systems across industrial, automotive, oil & gas, and HVAC applications
- Indicating atmospheric or absolute pressure, depending on whether the measurement is relative to atmospheric pressure (gauge pressure) or a vacuum (absolute pressure)
Conversions related to PSI include:
- 1 PSI = 6,894.76 Pascals (Pa), the SI unit of pressure
- 1 PSI ≈ 0.06895 bar
- 1 PSI ≈ 0.068046 atmospheres
In summary, PSI quantifies how much force is exerted on a given area and is essential for measuring and controlling pressure in many mechanical and industrial contexts
