Which unit is commonly used to express pressure?

Prepare for the ASVAB Skilled Technical Test. Practice with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which unit is commonly used to express pressure?

Pressure is force per unit area. In the metric system, the standard unit for this is the Pascal (Pa), defined as one newton per square meter. In everyday practice, especially in the United States, another unit—pounds per square inch (psi)—is widely used to express pressure in contexts like tires, hydraulics, and household systems. Knowing that 1 psi is about 6,895 Pa helps connect these units. The Newton is a unit of force, and the Joule is a unit of energy, not pressure, which is why they aren’t used to express pressure as commonly as psi in many practical settings.

Pressure is force per unit area. In the metric system, the standard unit for this is the Pascal (Pa), defined as one newton per square meter. In everyday practice, especially in the United States, another unit—pounds per square inch (psi)—is widely used to express pressure in contexts like tires, hydraulics, and household systems. Knowing that 1 psi is about 6,895 Pa helps connect these units. The Newton is a unit of force, and the Joule is a unit of energy, not pressure, which is why they aren’t used to express pressure as commonly as psi in many practical settings.

More practice questions