Atmospheric pressure at sea level is 101.3 × 10³Pa. What is the force exerted by the atmosphere on a square foot of area? A) 101 kN B) 109 kN C) 9.41 kN D) 30.9 kN E) 332 kN

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To calculate the force exerted by the atmosphere on a square foot of area, we need to use the formula:

F = P*A

where F is the force, P is the pressure, and A is the area.

In this case, the pressure is given as 101.3 × 10^3 Pa, and the area is 1 square foot. However, we need to convert the pressure to pounds per square foot (psf), since the area is given in square feet.

1 Pa = 0.0208854 psf

Therefore,

P = 101.3 × 10^3 Pa
  = 2,116.61 psf

Now we can calculate the force:

F = P*A
  = 2,116.61 psf * 1 ft^2
  = 2,116.61 pounds

Therefore, the force exerted by the atmosphere on a square foot of area is approximately 9.41 kN, which is answer choice C.

Atmospheric Pressure at Sea Level Is 101