PSI to kPa Converter
Convert from Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) to Kilopascal (kPa)
Understanding PSI and kPa
PSI (pound-force per square inch) is a unit of pressure in the imperial and US customary systems.
- Commonly used in the United States and the UK
- Standard atmospheric pressure is approximately 14.7 PSI
- Widely used for tire pressure, hydraulic systems, and many industrial applications
The kilopascal (kPa) is a unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI).
- 1 kPa = 1,000 pascals (Pa)
- The pascal is the SI base unit of pressure
- Named after Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician and physicist
Conversion Formula
PSI to kPa:
kPa = PSI × 6.89475729
To convert from PSI to kilopascals, multiply the PSI value by approximately 6.89476.
kPa to PSI:
PSI = kPa × 0.14503773773
To convert from kilopascals to PSI, multiply the kPa value by approximately 0.145038.
PSI to kPa Conversion Table
| Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) | Kilopascal (kPa) |
|---|---|
| 5 | 34.47 |
| 10 | 68.95 |
| 15 | 103.42 |
| 20 | 137.90 |
| 25 | 172.37 |
| 30 | 206.84 |
| 35 | 241.32 |
| 40 | 275.79 |
| 45 | 310.26 |
| 50 | 344.74 |
Historical Context and Applications
Historical Development
PSI has been used in English-speaking countries since the early days of steam power in the 18th century. The need to measure and regulate pressure in steam engines led to the adoption of this unit. The pascal was named after Blaise Pascal, whose experiments in the 17th century significantly advanced our understanding of pressure. Today, while PSI remains common in the US and UK, most countries have adopted the metric system, using kilopascals (kPa) as their standard unit of pressure.
Common Applications
- PSI: Widely used in the United States for tire pressure, industrial applications, and plumbing systems. Often used on pressure gauges for mechanical systems.
- kPa: Commonly used in engineering, HVAC systems, and scientific contexts globally. Standard in metric-system countries for tire pressure and other applications.
Practical Examples
- Standard atmospheric pressure: 14.7 PSI (101.325 kPa)
- Recommended car tire pressure: 30-35 PSI (207-241 kPa)
- Bicycle tire pressure: 60-100 PSI (414-689 kPa)
- Basketball: 8 PSI (55 kPa)
- Home water pressure: 40-80 PSI (276-552 kPa)
- Enter your value in the PSI field
- The converter instantly displays the equivalent in kilopascals
- Use the swap button to convert from kPa to PSI instead
- Results are displayed with 6 decimal places for precision
For quick reference without calculations, refer to the conversion table above for common values.