Pressure is the force exerted by gases and liquids due to their weight, such as the pressure of the atmosphere on the surface of the earth and the pressure containerized liquids exert on the bottom and walls of a container. Pressure units are a measure of the force acting over a specified area. It is most commonly expressed in pounds per square inch (psi), sometimes pounds per square foot (psf) in English units, or pascals (Pa or kPa) in metric units.