Free Online kilopascal Converter
kilopascal
Definition: A kilopascal (symbol: kPa) is a multiple of the pascal (Pa), an SI (International System of Units) derived unit of pressure used to measure internal pressure, Young's modulus, stress, and ultimate tensile strength. A kilopascal is defined as 1,000 Pa, where 1 Pa is defined as the pressure exerted by a 1 newton force applied perpendicularly to an area of one square meter, expressed as 1 N/m2 or 1 kg/m·s2.
History/origin: The unit, pascal, is named after Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician and physicist. The kilopascal is simply a multiple of the pascal, as is common within SI. In 1971, at the 14th General Conference on Weights and Measures, the pascal was adopted as an SI derived unit of pressure.
Current use: The kilopascal is widely used worldwide in countries that have adopted SI. Exceptions include certain countries that use either the imperial or United States customary systems of measurement, such as the United States, in which the unit of pound per square inch is more commonly used. The kilopascal is more prevalent in scientific contexts such as material science, engineering, and geophysics. This is true of most countries, including the United States.
