The millimeter of mercury (mmHg) is a unit of pressure traditionally used in medicine and meteorology, and its history dates back to the barometer invention by Evangelista Torricelli in 1643. Often, it is associated with measuring blood pressure and intraocular pressure, representing the pressure exerted by a column of mercury precisely 1 millimeter high. This fascinating unit highlights the interplay of physics and medicine, reflecting both the force of blood circulating against vessel walls and the atmospheric pressure’s effects on our weather systems.
Interestingly, mmHg is one of the few units still officially sanctioned for use with SI (International System of Units) under specific legal and medical contexts, underscoring its importance over centuries. Despite the global shift towards using Pascals for pressure, mmHg remains ingrained in clinical settings because of its historical usage and direct relation to human physiology. Its origins and continued use illustrate how historical scientific instruments still influence modern practices.
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.
Millimeters of mercury | Pascals |
---|---|
0
mmHg
|
0
Pa
|
10
mmHg
|
1333.22
Pa
|
20
mmHg
|
2666.44
Pa
|
30
mmHg
|
3999.66
Pa
|
40
mmHg
|
5332.88
Pa
|
50
mmHg
|
6666.1
Pa
|
60
mmHg
|
7999.32
Pa
|
70
mmHg
|
9332.54
Pa
|
80
mmHg
|
10665.76
Pa
|
90
mmHg
|
11998.98
Pa
|
100
mmHg
|
13332.2
Pa
|
110
mmHg
|
14665.42
Pa
|
120
mmHg
|
15998.64
Pa
|
130
mmHg
|
17331.86
Pa
|
140
mmHg
|
18665.08
Pa
|
150
mmHg
|
19998.3
Pa
|
160
mmHg
|
21331.52
Pa
|
170
mmHg
|
22664.74
Pa
|
180
mmHg
|
23997.96
Pa
|
190
mmHg
|
25331.18
Pa
|
200
mmHg
|
26664.4
Pa
|
210
mmHg
|
27997.62
Pa
|
220
mmHg
|
29330.84
Pa
|
230
mmHg
|
30664.06
Pa
|
240
mmHg
|
31997.28
Pa
|
250
mmHg
|
33330.5
Pa
|
260
mmHg
|
34663.72
Pa
|
270
mmHg
|
35996.94
Pa
|
280
mmHg
|
37330.16
Pa
|
290
mmHg
|
38663.38
Pa
|
300
mmHg
|
39996.6
Pa
|
310
mmHg
|
41329.82
Pa
|
320
mmHg
|
42663.04
Pa
|
330
mmHg
|
43996.26
Pa
|
340
mmHg
|
45329.48
Pa
|
350
mmHg
|
46662.7
Pa
|
360
mmHg
|
47995.92
Pa
|
370
mmHg
|
49329.14
Pa
|
380
mmHg
|
50662.36
Pa
|
390
mmHg
|
51995.58
Pa
|
400
mmHg
|
53328.8
Pa
|
410
mmHg
|
54662.02
Pa
|
420
mmHg
|
55995.24
Pa
|
430
mmHg
|
57328.46
Pa
|
440
mmHg
|
58661.68
Pa
|
450
mmHg
|
59994.9
Pa
|
460
mmHg
|
61328.12
Pa
|
470
mmHg
|
62661.34
Pa
|
480
mmHg
|
63994.56
Pa
|
490
mmHg
|
65327.78
Pa
|
500
mmHg
|
66661
Pa
|
510
mmHg
|
67994.22
Pa
|
520
mmHg
|
69327.44
Pa
|
530
mmHg
|
70660.66
Pa
|
540
mmHg
|
71993.88
Pa
|
550
mmHg
|
73327.1
Pa
|
560
mmHg
|
74660.32
Pa
|
570
mmHg
|
75993.54
Pa
|
580
mmHg
|
77326.76
Pa
|
590
mmHg
|
78659.98
Pa
|
600
mmHg
|
79993.2
Pa
|
610
mmHg
|
81326.42
Pa
|
620
mmHg
|
82659.64
Pa
|
630
mmHg
|
83992.86
Pa
|
640
mmHg
|
85326.08
Pa
|
650
mmHg
|
86659.3
Pa
|
660
mmHg
|
87992.52
Pa
|
670
mmHg
|
89325.74
Pa
|
680
mmHg
|
90658.96
Pa
|
690
mmHg
|
91992.18
Pa
|
700
mmHg
|
93325.4
Pa
|
710
mmHg
|
94658.62
Pa
|
720
mmHg
|
95991.84
Pa
|
730
mmHg
|
97325.06
Pa
|
740
mmHg
|
98658.28
Pa
|
750
mmHg
|
99991.5
Pa
|
760
mmHg
|
101324.72
Pa
|
770
mmHg
|
102657.94
Pa
|
780
mmHg
|
103991.16
Pa
|
790
mmHg
|
105324.38
Pa
|
800
mmHg
|
106657.6
Pa
|
810
mmHg
|
107990.82
Pa
|
820
mmHg
|
109324.04
Pa
|
830
mmHg
|
110657.26
Pa
|
840
mmHg
|
111990.48
Pa
|
850
mmHg
|
113323.7
Pa
|
860
mmHg
|
114656.92
Pa
|
870
mmHg
|
115990.14
Pa
|
880
mmHg
|
117323.36
Pa
|
890
mmHg
|
118656.58
Pa
|
900
mmHg
|
119989.8
Pa
|
910
mmHg
|
121323.02
Pa
|
920
mmHg
|
122656.24
Pa
|
930
mmHg
|
123989.46
Pa
|
940
mmHg
|
125322.68
Pa
|
950
mmHg
|
126655.9
Pa
|
960
mmHg
|
127989.12
Pa
|
970
mmHg
|
129322.34
Pa
|
980
mmHg
|
130655.56
Pa
|
990
mmHg
|
131988.78
Pa
|
1000
mmHg
|
133322
Pa
|
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