Define pressure. What is the relation between pressure, force and area? State the units in which pressure is measured.

Pressure is defined as a measure of the force applied over a unit area. Pressure often is expressed in units of Pascals (Pa), newtons per square meter (N/m2 or kg/m.s2), or pounds per square inch. Other units include the atmosphere (atm), torr, bar, and meters sea water (msw).


In equations, pressure is denoted by the capital letter P or the lowercase letter p.


Pressure is a derived unit, generally expressed according to the units of the equation:


P = F / A


where P is pressure, F is force, and A is area


P is pressure


F is the component of force perpendicular to the surface


A is the area of the surface


When a force is constant over an area, the pressure acting on that area is simply


Pressure is a scalar quantity, thus it acts in all directions at any given point. In order for pressure to create a force, the pressure must be integrated over some area.

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