Absolute and

Gage Pressure
 What is Absolute Pressure?
- Absolute pressure is the scale
measuring pressure, where zero is
reached when an ideal vacuum is
achieved.
 What is Gage Pressure?
- Gage pressure is the scale measuring
pressure relative to the local
atmospheric pressure.
Relationship
 Conversion

Note that the atmospheric pressure A vacuum is always a

is the local atmospheric pressure. negative gage pressure.
If the local atmospheric pressure is not
given, we use the value given for a
particular elevation, and assume zero
elevation(sea level) if the elevation is
unknown.
 Sample problem
A pressure gage attached to a rigid tank
measures a vacuum of 42 KPa inside the tank,
which is situated at a site in Colorado where
the elevation is 2000 m. Determine the
absolute pressure inside the tank.
(atmospheric pressure at 2000 m. 79.5 KPa)
 Sample problem
Determine the absolute pressure in a car tire
situated at sea level. (standard pressure of a
car tire is 32 psi or 220 KPa)
 Solutions
P = -42 + 79.5 = 37.5 KPa absolute

P = 101.3 + 220 = 321.3 KPa absolute