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PSI to Kilopascals Converter
↔ Convert kPa to psi instead

Common Conversions

psi kPa
1 6.895
5 34.47
10 68.95
14.696 101.325
25 172.4
50 344.7
100 689.5
200 1379
500 3447
1000 6895
2000 13790
3000 20684

Why this conversion matters in chemistry

Compressed-gas regulators, lab air-line pressure gauges, and US-built instrumentation all read in psi. Most chemistry calculations want kPa, not least because R = 8.314 J/(mol·K) cooperates with SI base units. The factor is 6.89476 kPa per psi, exact through the SI definitions: 1 lbf = 4.44822 N and 1 in² = 6.4516 × 10⁻⁴ m². A 100 psi reactor pressure is 689 kPa; a 2200 psi cylinder pressure is 15.2 MPa. The conversion comes up most when a US-spec gauge reading has to feed a calculation written with R in J/(mol·K) — without it, the answer drops by nearly a factor of 7.

Formula

kPa = psi × 6.89476

Worked Examples

14.696 psi = 101.325 kPa

One standard atmosphere expressed in both unit conventions — the calibration anchor for any gauge.

2200 psi = 15168 kPa

About a full compressed-nitrogen cylinder at delivery — the value behind any inert-gas line sizing calculation.

50 psi = 344.7 kPa

A typical compressed-air line pressure in many US-spec lab buildings.

100 psi = 689.5 kPa

A common operating pressure for a small-scale hydrogenation reactor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert psi to kPa?
Multiply by 6.89476. So 14.696 psi becomes 101.325 kPa, the standard atmospheric pressure value in both unit systems.
Why convert psi to kPa for chemistry?
Most modern chemistry calculations are written for SI-aligned units. PV = nRT with R = 8.314 J/(mol·K) wants pressure in Pa or kPa, not psi. The conversion is the first step before any gas-law math when the gauge reads in psi.
What's the psi-to-kPa relationship in numbers?
1 psi = 6.89476 kPa, equivalently 1 kPa = 0.14504 psi. At standard sea-level pressure, the values 14.696 psi and 101.325 kPa describe the same atmosphere.
Is there a quick approximation?
Multiply psi by 7 for a rough estimate within 1.5%. So 50 psi is roughly 350 kPa; the actual value is 344.7 kPa. Useful for quick mental checks but not for quantitative work.