Torr is a unit used to measure pressure. It’s a way to tell how much force is pressing on a certain area, like in a container. One torr is the pressure exerted by a column of mercury that’s 1 millimeter high at a specific temperature. It’s a smaller unit, so you might see larger pressure measurements in torr for things like gases in a lab or a vacuum.
Some daily life examples of torr pressure are listed below:
- Inflating a bicycle tire with a pump (typically around 60-80 Torr)
- Measuring tire pressure at a gas station (around 30-35 Torr for most car tires)
- Operating a mercury barometer to predict weather changes (usually around 760 Torr at sea level)
- Calibrating a vacuum gauge for a home vacuum sealer (varies, but may be around 500-700 Torr)
- Checking blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer (normal human blood pressure is about 120-80 Torr)
- Monitoring pressure in a home HVAC system (typically around 500-700 Torr)
- Using a pressure cooker for cooking meals (typically around 150-200 Torr)
- Determining pressure in a car’s engine using a pressure gauge (varies but can be around 600-700 Torr)
- Conducting experiments in a laboratory involving gases (pressure can vary widely based on the experiment)
- Regulating pressure in a scuba diving tank (usually around 2,000-3,000 Torr)
Interrelation of Torr and Other Common Pressure Units
Torr is a unit of pressure defined as 1/760th of a standard atmospheric pressure at sea level, where 1 atmosphere (atm) is approximately 760 Torr. It’s important to note that Torr is part of a larger system of pressure units, and there are several common units used to measure pressure, including:
- Pascal (Pa): The SI unit of pressure. 1 Torr is approximately equal to 133.322 Pa.
- Atmosphere (atm): 1 atmosphere is defined as 760 Torr.
- Bar: 1 Bar is equal to 750.062 Torr.
- Kilopascal (kPa): 1 kilopascal is approximately 7.50062 Torr
- Pound per square inch (psi): 1 psi is approximately 51.7149 Torr.
- Millimeter of mercury (mmHg): 1 Torr is equivalent to 1 mmHg.
