Ambient pressure

Ambient Pressure is the pressure of the surrounding medium, such as a gas or liquid, in contact with an object. It is also referred to as atmospheric pressure in the context of Earth's atmosphere.

Definition

Ambient pressure, often denoted as P_amb, is the pressure exerted by the medium surrounding an object. This medium can be a gas, such as air, or a liquid, such as water. The ambient pressure on an object is always exerted perpendicular to the surface of the object.

Measurement

Ambient pressure is typically measured in units of force per unit area. The most common units are the pascal (Pascal), which is the SI unit for pressure, and the atmosphere (atmosphere), which is commonly used in the field of chemistry and physics.

Atmospheric Pressure

In the context of Earth's atmosphere, ambient pressure is often referred to as atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is defined as the force per unit area exerted against a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the Earth's atmosphere. The average atmospheric pressure at sea level is approximately 101.3 kilopascals (kPa) or 1 atmosphere (atm).

Underwater Pressure

Underwater, the ambient pressure is greater than the atmospheric pressure due to the weight of the water above the point of measurement. This pressure increases by approximately 1 atmosphere for every 10 meters of water depth.

In Space

In outer space, there is no medium to exert pressure, so the ambient pressure is essentially zero. This lack of pressure has significant implications for human and animal life, as well as for the operation of mechanical systems.

See Also

• Pressure
• Atmospheric pressure
• Hydrostatic pressure
• Pascal's law