physics pressure units P vs atm

[coyfish]

In Kaplan there are a couple instances where they use Pascals for pressure. I remember they did this for the W=PV equation solving for W. In TBR however they pretty much always used atm's unless they wanted to make you practice converting units.

In which instances does one use atm vs pascals. Obviously when its not explicitly given or evident from the answer choices.

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[latrala2300]

In Kaplan there are a couple instances where they use Pascals for pressure. I remember they did this for the W=PV equation solving for W. In TBR however they pretty much always used atm's unless they wanted to make you practice converting units.

In which instances does one use atm vs pascals. Obviously when its not explicitly given or evident from the answer choices.

if you see pressure on the MCAT, pretty much just use pascals. atm is generally reserved for chem (.0826 being k, for example in the ideal gas law).

caveat: this is a rule of thumb. you'd be best off learning the units (i.e. pascal = N/m^2)

 

[coyfish]

if you see pressure on the MCAT, pretty much just use pascals. atm is generally reserved for chem (.0826 being k, for example in the ideal gas law).

caveat: this is a rule of thumb. you'd be best off learning the units (i.e. pascal = N/m^2)

Thanks that was what I always figured since pascals are the SI unit but pretty much always I have used atm.

 

[Rabolisk]

It obviously depends on the context. If they give you SI units of force and area, or derivatives thereof, you use pascals. atms are generally used in chemistry.