pascals (Pa) to hectopascals (hPa) conversion

pascals to hectopascals conversion table

pascals (Pa)hectopascals (hPa)
00
10.01
20.02
30.03
40.04
50.05
60.06
70.07
80.08
90.09
100.1
200.2
300.3
400.4
500.5
600.6
700.7
800.8
900.9
1001
100010

How to convert pascals to hectopascals?

Pascal (Pa) and hectopascal (hPa) are both units of pressure, with the hectopascal being a multiple of the pascal. Understanding this conversion is essential in fields like meteorology, where hectopascals are commonly used to measure atmospheric pressure.

Conversion Formula and Explanation

The relationship between pascals and hectopascals is quite straightforward. "Hecto" is a metric prefix that means 100. Therefore:

1 hPa=100 Pa1 \text{ hPa} = 100 \text{ Pa}

This means that 1 hectopascal is equal to 100 pascals.

Converting Pascals to Hectopascals

To convert from pascals to hectopascals, you simply divide the number of pascals by 100.

Example:

Convert 1 pascal to hectopascals.

1 Pa=1100 hPa=0.01 hPa1 \text{ Pa} = \frac{1}{100} \text{ hPa} = 0.01 \text{ hPa}

So, 1 pascal is equal to 0.01 hectopascals.

Converting Hectopascals to Pascals

To convert from hectopascals to pascals, you multiply the number of hectopascals by 100.

Example:

Convert 1 hectopascal to pascals.

1 hPa=1×100 Pa=100 Pa1 \text{ hPa} = 1 \times 100 \text{ Pa} = 100 \text{ Pa}

Thus, 1 hectopascal is equal to 100 pascals.

Blaise Pascal and Pressure

The pascal unit is named after Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher. Pascal's law states that pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted equally in all directions throughout the fluid. This principle is fundamental in hydraulics and fluid mechanics.

Real-World Examples

  1. Meteorology: Atmospheric pressure is often measured in hectopascals. Standard sea-level pressure is approximately 1013.25 hPa, which is equivalent to 101325 Pa.
  2. Aviation: Aircraft altimeters are often calibrated using hectopascals to indicate altitude based on atmospheric pressure.
  3. Diving: Divers use pressure measurements to calculate depth, often relying on barometric pressure readings in hectopascals.
  4. HVAC Systems: Pressure in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems is sometimes measured and adjusted using pascals or hectopascals.

See below section for step by step unit conversion with formulas and explanations. Please refer to the table below for a list of all the hectopascals to other unit conversions.

What is pascals?

Pascal (Pa) is the SI unit of pressure, defined as the force of one newton acting on an area of one square meter. This section will delve into the definition, formation, historical context, and practical applications of Pascal.

Pascal Definition

The pascal (Pa) is the SI derived unit of pressure used to quantify internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus, and ultimate tensile strength. It is defined as one newton per square meter.

1 Pa=1Nm21 \ Pa = 1 \frac{N}{m^2}

It can also be described using SI base units:

1 Pa=1kgms21 \ Pa = 1 \frac{kg}{m \cdot s^2}

Formation of Pascal

Pascal as a unit is derived from the fundamental units of mass (kilogram), length (meter), and time (second). Pressure, in general, is defined as force per unit area.

  • Force: Measured in Newtons (N), which itself is defined as kgm/s2kg \cdot m/s^2 (from Newton's second law, F=maF=ma).
  • Area: Measured in square meters (m2m^2).

Thus, Pascal combines these: N/m2N/m^2 which translates to (kgm/s2)/m2=kg/(ms2)(kg \cdot m/s^2) / m^2 = kg/(m \cdot s^2).

Blaise Pascal and Pascal's Law

The unit is named after Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and Catholic theologian. He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics, physics, and early computing.

Pascal's Law (or Pascal's Principle) states that a pressure change occurring anywhere in a confined incompressible fluid is transmitted throughout the fluid such that the same change occurs everywhere.

Mathematically, this is often represented as:

ΔP=ρgΔh\Delta P = \rho g \Delta h

Where:

  • ΔP\Delta P is the hydrostatic pressure difference
  • ρ\rho is the fluid density
  • gg is the acceleration due to gravity
  • Δh\Delta h is the height difference of the fluid

For further reading about Pascal's Law, you can refer to Pascal's Law and Hydraulics.

Real-World Examples

Here are some examples of pressure measured in Pascals or related units (like kilopascals, kPa):

  • Atmospheric Pressure: Standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is approximately 101,325 Pa, or 101.325 kPa.
  • Tire Pressure: Car tire pressure is often measured in PSI (pounds per square inch), but can be converted to Pascals. For example, 35 PSI is roughly 241 kPa.
  • Hydraulic Systems: The pressure in hydraulic systems, like those used in car brakes or heavy machinery, can be several megapascals (MPa).
  • Water Pressure: The water pressure at the bottom of a 1-meter deep pool is approximately 9.8 kPa (ignoring atmospheric pressure). The Hydrostatic pressure can be determined with formula ΔP=ρgΔh\Delta P = \rho g \Delta h. Given that the density of water is approximately 1000 kg/m3kg/m^3 and the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s2m/s^2
  • Weather Forecasts: Atmospheric pressure changes are often reported in hectopascals (hPa), where 1 hPa = 100 Pa.

What is hectopascals?

Hectopascals (hPa) are a commonly used unit of pressure, particularly in meteorology. The following sections will detail what they are, how they relate to other units, and their real-world applications.

Definition of Hectopascal

A hectopascal (hPa) is a unit of pressure defined as 100 pascals (Pa). The pascal itself is the SI unit of pressure, defined as one newton per square meter (N/m2N/m^2). Therefore, 1 hPa is equivalent to 100 N/m2N/m^2.

1hPa=100Pa=100Nm21 \, hPa = 100 \, Pa = 100 \, \frac{N}{m^2}

Formation and Relationship to Other Units

The prefix "hecto" signifies a factor of 100. This makes the hectopascal a convenient unit for measuring atmospheric pressure, as it avoids the use of excessively large or small numbers. It's directly related to other units, most notably the millibar (mbar).

1hPa=1mbar1 \, hPa = 1 \, mbar

This equivalence is why you'll often see hPa and mbar used interchangeably in weather reports. The older unit of pressure, the atmosphere (atm), is approximately 1013.25 hPa at sea level under standard conditions.

Relevance to Meteorology

Hectopascals are the standard unit for reporting atmospheric pressure in meteorology. Weather maps and forecasts routinely use hPa to depict high and low-pressure systems. These pressure systems drive weather patterns. For example, low-pressure systems are often associated with clouds and precipitation, while high-pressure systems are typically associated with clear skies.

Real-World Examples

  • Standard Atmospheric Pressure: The standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is approximately 1013.25 hPa.
  • Hurricane Intensity: The strength of hurricanes is often described using the minimum central pressure in hPa. Lower pressures indicate a stronger storm. For example, Hurricane Wilma in 2005 had a record-low central pressure of 882 hPa.
  • Weather Maps: Isobars (lines connecting points of equal pressure) on weather maps are labeled in hPa. This allows meteorologists and the public to visualize pressure gradients, which are crucial for understanding wind patterns and weather systems.
  • Altitude Measurement: Pressure decreases with altitude. Aircraft altimeters use barometric pressure (measured in hPa or inches of mercury) to determine altitude.

Complete pascals conversion table

Enter # of pascals
Convert 1 Pa to other unitsResult
pascals to kilopascals (Pa to kPa)0.001
pascals to megapascals (Pa to MPa)0.000001
pascals to hectopascals (Pa to hPa)0.01
pascals to millibar (Pa to mbar)0.01
pascals to bar (Pa to bar)0.00001
pascals to torr (Pa to torr)0.007500616827042
pascals to meters of water @ 4°C (Pa to mH2O)0.0001019716212978
pascals to millimeters of mercury (Pa to mmHg)0.007500637554192
pascals to pounds per square inch (Pa to psi)0.00014503768078
pascals to kilopound per square inch (Pa to ksi)1.4503768078e-7
pascals to Inches of mercury (Pa to inHg)0.0002952998057228