Pounds per square inch (psi) is a crucial unit of pressure measurement, widely used across various industries, including automotive, aviation, and even space exploration. One interesting fact is that a typical car tire is inflated to around 30 psi, but did you know that a commercial jetliner’s cabin is pressurized to a reduced level of 11 psi to simulate being at a comfortable altitude of about 6,000-8,000 feet? This helps passengers avoid the stress of low oxygen levels while flying at over 35,000 feet, where the atmospheric pressure is a meager 4 psi.
Moreover, psi is pivotal in assessing the force exerted on surfaces. If you’ve ever wondered why deep-sea submarines have thick hulls, it’s because they must withstand pressures of around 8,800 psi at depths of 6 miles beneath the ocean’s surface! This ensures safe exploration of the mysterious deep-sea world, showcasing psi’s significance in enabling human feats in extreme environments.
A “meter of water @ 4°C” is a unique unit used primarily to measure pressure. At this specific temperature, water reaches its maximum density, and the pressure exerted by a one-meter column of water is approximately 9.81 kilopascals or 0.0979 atmospheres. This scenario represents the optimal conditions for standardizing pressure measurements because the physical properties of water are most stable, reducing variances in calculations.
This unit is especially important in fields like plumbing and hydraulics, where accurate pressure measurements are crucial. Understanding these principles can lead to better designs in water distribution systems, preventing common issues such as pipe bursts or inefficient water flow, ensuring systems operate safely and efficiently.
Pounds per square inch | Meters of water @ 4°C |
---|---|
0
psi
|
0
mH₂O
|
10
psi
|
7.0307
mH₂O
|
20
psi
|
14.0614
mH₂O
|
30
psi
|
21.0921
mH₂O
|
40
psi
|
28.12279
mH₂O
|
50
psi
|
35.15349
mH₂O
|
60
psi
|
42.18419
mH₂O
|
70
psi
|
49.21489
mH₂O
|
80
psi
|
56.24559
mH₂O
|
90
psi
|
63.27629
mH₂O
|
100
psi
|
70.30699
mH₂O
|
110
psi
|
77.33768
mH₂O
|
120
psi
|
84.36838
mH₂O
|
130
psi
|
91.39908
mH₂O
|
140
psi
|
98.42978
mH₂O
|
150
psi
|
105.46048
mH₂O
|
160
psi
|
112.49118
mH₂O
|
170
psi
|
119.52188
mH₂O
|
180
psi
|
126.55257
mH₂O
|
190
psi
|
133.58327
mH₂O
|
200
psi
|
140.61397
mH₂O
|
210
psi
|
147.64467
mH₂O
|
220
psi
|
154.67537
mH₂O
|
230
psi
|
161.70607
mH₂O
|
240
psi
|
168.73677
mH₂O
|
250
psi
|
175.76746
mH₂O
|
260
psi
|
182.79816
mH₂O
|
270
psi
|
189.82886
mH₂O
|
280
psi
|
196.85956
mH₂O
|
290
psi
|
203.89026
mH₂O
|
300
psi
|
210.92096
mH₂O
|
310
psi
|
217.95166
mH₂O
|
320
psi
|
224.98235
mH₂O
|
330
psi
|
232.01305
mH₂O
|
340
psi
|
239.04375
mH₂O
|
350
psi
|
246.07445
mH₂O
|
360
psi
|
253.10515
mH₂O
|
370
psi
|
260.13585
mH₂O
|
380
psi
|
267.16655
mH₂O
|
390
psi
|
274.19724
mH₂O
|
400
psi
|
281.22794
mH₂O
|
410
psi
|
288.25864
mH₂O
|
420
psi
|
295.28934
mH₂O
|
430
psi
|
302.32004
mH₂O
|
440
psi
|
309.35074
mH₂O
|
450
psi
|
316.38144
mH₂O
|
460
psi
|
323.41213
mH₂O
|
470
psi
|
330.44283
mH₂O
|
480
psi
|
337.47353
mH₂O
|
490
psi
|
344.50423
mH₂O
|
500
psi
|
351.53493
mH₂O
|
510
psi
|
358.56563
mH₂O
|
520
psi
|
365.59632
mH₂O
|
530
psi
|
372.62702
mH₂O
|
540
psi
|
379.65772
mH₂O
|
550
psi
|
386.68842
mH₂O
|
560
psi
|
393.71912
mH₂O
|
570
psi
|
400.74982
mH₂O
|
580
psi
|
407.78052
mH₂O
|
590
psi
|
414.81121
mH₂O
|
600
psi
|
421.84191
mH₂O
|
610
psi
|
428.87261
mH₂O
|
620
psi
|
435.90331
mH₂O
|
630
psi
|
442.93401
mH₂O
|
640
psi
|
449.96471
mH₂O
|
650
psi
|
456.99541
mH₂O
|
660
psi
|
464.0261
mH₂O
|
670
psi
|
471.0568
mH₂O
|
680
psi
|
478.0875
mH₂O
|
690
psi
|
485.1182
mH₂O
|
700
psi
|
492.1489
mH₂O
|
710
psi
|
499.1796
mH₂O
|
720
psi
|
506.2103
mH₂O
|
730
psi
|
513.24099
mH₂O
|
740
psi
|
520.27169
mH₂O
|
750
psi
|
527.30239
mH₂O
|
760
psi
|
534.33309
mH₂O
|
770
psi
|
541.36379
mH₂O
|
780
psi
|
548.39449
mH₂O
|
790
psi
|
555.42519
mH₂O
|
800
psi
|
562.45588
mH₂O
|
810
psi
|
569.48658
mH₂O
|
820
psi
|
576.51728
mH₂O
|
830
psi
|
583.54798
mH₂O
|
840
psi
|
590.57868
mH₂O
|
850
psi
|
597.60938
mH₂O
|
860
psi
|
604.64008
mH₂O
|
870
psi
|
611.67077
mH₂O
|
880
psi
|
618.70147
mH₂O
|
890
psi
|
625.73217
mH₂O
|
900
psi
|
632.76287
mH₂O
|
910
psi
|
639.79357
mH₂O
|
920
psi
|
646.82427
mH₂O
|
930
psi
|
653.85497
mH₂O
|
940
psi
|
660.88566
mH₂O
|
950
psi
|
667.91636
mH₂O
|
960
psi
|
674.94706
mH₂O
|
970
psi
|
681.97776
mH₂O
|
980
psi
|
689.00846
mH₂O
|
990
psi
|
696.03916
mH₂O
|
1000
psi
|
703.06986
mH₂O
|
If you like the website, share it on social media.