Convert Pressure from pounds per square inch to pascals (psi to Pa)

Select a category and enter your values below

Single conversion

Pound per Square Inch to Pascal Conversion Formula

To convert a pressure from pounds per square inch (psi) to pascals (Pa), multiply by 6,894.76.

  • Pa = psi × 6,894.76

The number is the psi's own definition worked out in SI: one pound-force (4.448222 N) spread over one square inch (0.00064516 m²) is 4.448222 ÷ 0.00064516 = 6,894.76 N/m², and a newton per square meter is precisely a pascal. Because the factor is close to 7,000, a quick estimate is psi × 7,000, high by about 1.5%.

Step-by-Step Example

A fastener datasheet lists a proof stress of 120 psi for a gasket material, and a finite-element model needs the value in SI base units:

  1. Take the pressure: 120 psi
  2. Multiply by 6,894.76: 120 × 6,894.76 = 827,371 Pa (about 827 kPa)

Quick Reference Table

psiPa
16,894.76
534,473.8
1068,947.6
14.696101,325
50344,738
100689,476

The Unit Formulas Actually Want

Nobody reads a gauge in pascals — the unit is inconveniently small for hardware, which is exactly why kPa, bar and psi exist. But every formula that connects pressure to the rest of mechanics wants pascals, because Pa = N/m² cancels cleanly against kilograms, meters and seconds. Force on a hydraulic piston, stress in a pipe wall, the ρgh of a liquid column, the pressure term in Bernoulli's equation — feed them psi and the units simply do not close. The standard workflow is therefore: convert once at the boundary (psi × 6,894.76), compute everything in SI, and convert back only for the final report. Doing the conversion in the middle of a calculation, or worse, twice, is one of the classic ways unit errors creep into engineering spreadsheets. The one thing the conversion does not do is change the reference frame: a gauge reading in psig becomes gauge pascals, and thermodynamic formulas that need absolute pressure still need 101,325 Pa added afterwards.

How many pounds per square inch are in one pascal? One pascal (Pa) contains 0.00014503768078 pounds per square inch (psi) — the inverse of the factor above. Multiplying by 6894.7600004501395751 takes you from pounds per square inch to pascals; multiplying by 0.00014503768078 brings you back.

Put in words: one pound per square inch equals 6894.7600004501395751 pascals, so the pound per square inch is the larger unit of this pair. Converting between them never changes the amount of pressure being measured — only the size of the unit you count it in.

What is a pound per square inch (psi)?

A pound per square inch (PSI) is a unit of pressure commonly used in the imperial system (which is standard in the United States).

It measures the amount of force applied over a single square inch of area.


Common Examples of PSI (Where is PSI Used?)

PSI is a critical measurement for safety and performance in many common items, including:

  • Vehicle Tires: Proper tire pressure (PSI) ensures optimal handling, fuel efficiency, and tire life. You can find the recommended level on a sticker inside the driver's door.

  • Home Water Pressure: Affects everything from shower performance to how well appliances like dishwashers and washing machines function.

  • Sports Equipment: Items like footballs, basketballs, and soccer balls require a specific PSI to perform correctly and safely.

  • Tools: Air compressors, pressure washers, and paint sprayers all have specific PSI ratings for safe and effective operation.


Converting PSI to Metric Units like Pascals and Bar

While PSI is standard in the imperial system, scientific and international contexts use metric (SI) units like the Pascal (Pa) and the bar.

  • PSI to Pascal (Pa): The official SI unit for pressure.
    1 PSI ≈ 6,894.76 Pascals (or 6.895 kilopascals, kPa).

  • PSI to Bar: A common unit in automotive and weather contexts. 1 bar is roughly equal to atmospheric pressure at sea level.
    1 PSI ≈ 0.0689 bar.


Understanding the Types of PSI: PSIG, PSIA, and PSID

The term "PSI" can be specified further to give more context:

  • PSIG (Pound-force per square inch gauge): Measures pressure relative to the surrounding atmospheric pressure. This is the most common measurement, used by a standard tire gauge.

  • PSIA (Pound-force per square inch absolute): Measures pressure relative to a perfect vacuum (absolute zero pressure).
    The formula is: PSIA = PSIG + local atmospheric pressure.

  • PSID (Pound-force per square inch differential): Measures the difference in pressure between two separate points in a system, such as across a filter or valve.

What is a Pascal (Pa)?

A pascal (Pa) is the standard unit of pressure in the International System of Units (SI). It is a derived unit, meaning other base units define it.

The primary pascal definition is one newton of force applied over an area of one square meter (1 Pa = 1 N/m2).

Because a single pascal represents a very small amount of pressure, it is most often seen in multiples.

The most common multiples are the kilopascal (kPa), equal to 1,000 pascals, and the megapascal (MPa), equal to 1,000,000 pascals.

These units are widely used in fields from weather forecasting to material science.


Who is the Pascal Unit Named After?

The pascal (Pa) unit is named in honor of Blaise Pascal, a key 17th-century French mathematician, physicist, and inventor.

His groundbreaking work on how fluids behave under pressure (known as hydrodynamics and hydrostatics) and his formulation of Pascal's Law were essential to our modern understanding of pressure.


Understanding the Scale of a Pascal in Real Life

To understand just how small a single pascal is, here are two real-world examples:

  • A dollar bill: The gentle pressure of a single U.S. dollar bill resting flat on a table is about 1 Pa.
  • Atmospheric pressure: The standard atmospheric pressure you feel at sea level is approximately 101,325 pascals (or 101.3 kPa).

This shows why, for most everyday measurements (like tire pressure or weather), the larger kilopascal (kPa) is much more practical.

pound per square inch to pascal Conversion Table

Here are some quick reference conversions from pound per square inch (psi) to pascal (Pa):

pounds per square inchpascals
0.000001 psi0.0068947600004501395751 Pa
0.001 psi6.8947600004501395751 Pa
0.1 psi689.47600004501395751 Pa
1 psi6894.7600004501395751 Pa
2 psi13789.52000090027915 Pa
3 psi20684.280001350418725 Pa
4 psi27579.0400018005583 Pa
5 psi34473.800002250697876 Pa
6 psi41368.560002700837451 Pa
7 psi48263.320003150977026 Pa
8 psi55158.080003601116601 Pa
9 psi62052.840004051256176 Pa
10 psi68947.600004501395751 Pa
20 psi137895.2000090027915 Pa
30 psi206842.80001350418725 Pa
40 psi275790.400018005583 Pa
50 psi344738.00002250697876 Pa
100 psi689476.00004501395751 Pa
1000 psi6894760.0004501395751 Pa
10000 psi68947600.004501395751 Pa

This conversion in other languages

Engineering datasheets across Europe write pound per square inch to pascal several different ways. The calculation is the same in every one of them.

LanguageWritten asUnit names
Frenchpsi en Palivre par pouce carrépascal
Spanishpsi a Palibra por pulgada cuadradapascal
Dutchpsi naar Papond per vierkante inchpascal
Germanpsi in PaPfund pro QuadratzollPascal
Polishpsi na Pafunt na cal kwadratowypaskal

List some Pressure Converters

For all Pressure converters, choose units using the From/To dropdowns above.