1.
Atmospheric Pressure
What It Is:
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted by the weight of the air in
our atmosphere. It’s the pressure all around us.
Everyday Example:
When you feel the push of the air on your skin or when a weather report talks about
"high pressure" or "low pressure" systems, that’s atmospheric pressure at work.
Common Value:
At sea level, atmospheric pressure is about 101.3 kilopascals (kPa), 14.7 pounds per
square inch (psi), or 760 millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
2. Absolute Pressure
What It Is:
Absolute pressure is the total pressure measured relative to a perfect vacuum (which
is zero pressure).
Formula:
Absolute Pressure=Gauge Pressure+Atmospheric Pressure\text{Absolute Pressure} = \
text{Gauge Pressure} + \text{Atmospheric
Pressure}Absolute Pressure=Gauge Pressure+Atmospheric Pressure
Everyday Example:
Imagine you have a tire pressure gauge. If the gauge shows 30 psi, that is the
pressure above the atmospheric pressure. To know the total (absolute) pressure
inside the tire, you add the atmospheric pressure (about 14.7 psi) to get roughly 44.7
psi.
Why It Matters:
Absolute pressure is used in scientific calculations because it gives the full picture of
the pressure in a system, starting from an absolute zero.
3. Gauge Pressure
What It Is:
Gauge pressure is the pressure measured relative to the atmospheric pressure. In
other words, it tells you how much higher or lower the pressure is compared to the
pressure we experience naturally.
How It Works:
o Positive Gauge Pressure: When the pressure in a container is higher than
atmospheric pressure, the gauge reading is positive. For instance, most car
tires are inflated to a gauge pressure that is above the surrounding
atmospheric pressure.
o Negative Gauge Pressure (Vacuum): When the pressure is below atmospheric
pressure, the gauge reading is negative. This situation is often referred to as a
"vacuum" (more on that next).
Everyday Example:
A pressure gauge on a gas cylinder or a tire tells you the gauge pressure. It ignores
the atmospheric part because it’s assumed that the sensor is zeroed out to
atmospheric pressure.
4. Vacuum Pressure
What It Is:
Vacuum pressure describes a situation where the pressure is less than the
atmospheric pressure. It’s essentially the "lack" of pressure compared to what’s
normally around us.
Everyday Example:
When you use a vacuum cleaner, it creates a region of lower pressure inside the hose
compared to the atmospheric pressure outside. That difference is what causes air
(and dirt) to be sucked into the vacuum cleaner.
Important Note:
o Absolute Vacuum: An ideal (or perfect) vacuum would have an absolute
pressure of zero. However, in practice, we almost never achieve a perfect
vacuum.
o Gauge Vacuum: On a gauge, a vacuum is indicated by a negative reading. For
example, if a gauge shows –5 psi, it means the pressure is 5 psi below the
atmospheric pressure.
How It Relates to Absolute Pressure:
Even in a vacuum situation, you can calculate the absolute pressure. For instance, if
the gauge shows –5 psi (vacuum), then:
Absolute Pressure=(Atmospheric Pressure)+(Gauge Pressure)\text{Absolute Pressure} = (\
text{Atmospheric Pressure}) + (\text{Gauge
Pressure})Absolute Pressure=(Atmospheric Pressure)+(Gauge Pressure)
With atmospheric pressure around 14.7 psi:
Summary Table
Term Reference Point Example/Analogy Key Point
Pressure exerted by
Atmospheric The "normal" pressure ~101.3 kPa or 14.7 psi at
the Earth's
Pressure you feel every day sea level
atmosphere
Measured from a Total pressure inside a
Absolute Gauge Pressure +
perfect vacuum tire including the air
Pressure Atmospheric Pressure
(zero pressure) outside
Measured relative to Tire pressure gauge Can be positive (above
Gauge
atmospheric (shows excess pressure atm) or negative (below
Pressure
pressure over air) atm)
A type of gauge Indicates "less than"
Vacuum pressure below Vacuum cleaner creating atmospheric pressure;
Pressure atmospheric a low-pressure zone often shown as a negative
pressure gauge reading
