PSIA (pounds per square inch absolute) measures pressure relative to a vacuum, while mmHg (millimeters of mercury) uses the height of a mercury column. This article will help you understand and perform conversions between psia to mmHg.
What are psia and mmHg?
Before diving into the conversion, let’s define these two units of pressure.
psia: Pounds per Square Inch Absolute
Pounds per square inch absolute (psia) is a measurement of pressure relative to a perfect vacuum. Because of its accuracy, it’s used in engineering, science, and industrial applications.
mmHg: Millimeters of Mercury
Millimeters of mercury (mmHg) is a unit of pressure based on how high a column of mercury rises in a manometer. You’ll most often see this measurement in the medical field, since blood pressure is measured in mmHg.
How to convert from psia to mmHg
The conversion factor is approximately 1 psia ≈ 51.715 mmHg.
To convert from mmHg to psia, you’ll divide the mmHg value by 51.715. And to convert from psia to mmHg, you’ll multiply the psia value by 51.715.
For example, to convert 100 mmHg to psia, you’d do the following calculation: 100 mmHg / 51.715 ≈ 1.93 psia.
It’s important to use precise conversion factors to ensure the accuracy of your calculations.
Final Thoughts
Remember that psia measures absolute pressure, while mmHg is a manometric measurement.
Knowing how to convert between these units is important in science and engineering. Fortunately, you don’t have to do the math yourself. Several handy online conversion tools can give you the answer in a flash.