Question

A typical barometric pressure in Kansas City is 740 torr. What is this pressure in atmospheres, in millimeters of mercury, and in kilopascals?

a) 0.975 atm, 740 mm Hg, 98.7 kPa
b) 0.975 atm, 740 mm Hg, 74.0 kPa
c) 0.740 atm, 740 mm Hg, 98.7 kPa
d) 0.740 atm, 740 mm Hg, 74.0 kPa

Answer 1

To convert 740 torr to atmospheres, divide by 760: 0.974 atm. To convert to millimeters of mercury: 740 mmHg. To convert to kilopascals: 98.7 kPa.

Step-by-step explanation:

Barometric pressure is often measured in torr or millimeters of mercury (mmHg). One atmosphere (atm) of pressure is equal to 760 mmHg or 760 torr. To convert 740 torr to atmospheres, we divide by 760: 740 torr / 760 torr = 0.974 atm. To convert to millimeters of mercury, we use the 1:1 relationship between torr and mmHg: 740 torr = 740 mmHg. To convert to kilopascals, we use the conversion factor of 1 atm = 101.325 kPa: 0.974 atm x 101.325 kPa/atm = 98.7 kPa.