Pressure Differential Formula |
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| \( \Delta p \;=\; p_2 - p_1\) | ||
| Symbol | English | Metric |
| \( \Delta p \) = Pressure Differential | \(lbf \;/\; in^2\) | \(Pa\) |
| \( p_2 \) = High Pressure at Point 2 | \(lbf \;/\; in^2\) | \(Pa\) |
| \( p_1 \) = Low Pressure at Point 1 | \(lbf \;/\; in^2\) | \(Pa\) |
Pressure differential, abbreviated as \(\Delta p\), is an infinitesimally small change in pressure. It is used to describe how pressure varies continuously within a fluid or across a surface when the change is too small to treat as a finite difference. The pressure differential allows engineers and physicists to examine pressure gradients, which drive fluid flow and influence forces within gases and liquids. When combined with spatial differentials, it forms the pressure gradient that appears in fluid dynamics equations like the Navier–Stokes equations. The pressure differential is a mathematical tool that captures how pressure changes at a single point or over an infinitesimally small distance, enabling precise analysis of fluid behavior.
