Convert pound-force per square inch to kilopascal.

About this conversion

PSI-to-kilopascals: multiply by 6.89476. Used in automotive (tire pressure often listed in kPa on the door placard), aerospace, and scientific contexts.

Formula

kPa = psi × 6.89476

Real-world examples

Reference values

Tips & tricks

• Tire placards in US cars often show kPa alongside psi. 220 kPa is a common spec — that's 32 psi.
• 1 atm = 101.325 kPa = 14.696 psi exactly.
• For very low pressures (vacuum, gas chromatography), torr or mbar is more common than psi.

Origin & history

The pascal (Pa) is the SI unit of pressure: 1 newton per square meter. Named after Blaise Pascal. 1 kPa = 1000 Pa.

What is a pounds per square inch?

One psi equals about 6,894.76 pascals — the pressure of one pound-force applied over one square inch. US tire pressure (typically 30-35 psi for cars), hydraulics, and engineering specifications.

What is a kilopascal?

One kilopascal equals 1,000 pascals. Tire pressure in most of the world outside the US, weather forecasts (1013 kPa typical sea-level pressure as 101.3 kPa), and engineering.

What does psi look like in everyday objects?

Concrete examples often help when a unit doesn't have an intuitive feel. 1 psi is a soft pillow pressed against your hand; 14.7 psi is atmospheric pressure at sea level; and 32 psi is a typical car tire.

How to convert pounds per square inch to kilopascal

To convert a value from pounds per square inch (psi) to kilopascal (kPa), apply the conversion factor shown in the formula above. The calculation is the same whether you do it by hand, in a spreadsheet, or with the live converter on this page.

Steps:

1. Take your input value in psi.
2. Apply the formula see formula above.
3. The result is your value in kPa.

For repeated calculations, save the formula in a spreadsheet or use the live converter at the top of this page — it handles the math automatically and displays the result as you type.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert psi to kPa?

Apply the formula psi → kPa shown above, or just type your value into the converter at the top of this page. The result updates instantly.

Which is bigger, psi or kPa?

This depends on the conversion ratio in the formula. If the factor multiplied by your value gives a larger number, then kPa is the smaller unit (so it takes more of them to express the same quantity). If the result is smaller, then kPa is the larger unit.

When would I use psi versus kPa?

Both units measure pressure, so the choice depends on context. Pounds per square inch is typically used for tires, weather, hydraulics, and material strength; kilopascal similarly. Most professional fields standardize on one or the other based on regional conventions or technical tradition.

How precise is this psi to kPa conversion?

The conversion factor shown is the internationally defined exact value (or the best-published approximation if the relationship is irrational, like degrees-to-radians). The live converter on this page uses double-precision floating-point math, accurate to about 15 significant digits — far beyond any practical engineering need.

Is the conversion ratio exact, or an approximation?

Most unit conversions between SI metric units, and between SI and US customary units, have been formally defined as exact values since the 1959 international yard-pound agreement and subsequent SI redefinitions. Exceptions are unit pairs that involve irrational numbers (radians, e.g.) or empirical conversions (like food calories, which depend on temperature). When in doubt, consult the formula at the top of this page.

Related conversions

See also