PSF
The Python Software Foundation (PSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2001 to promote, protect, and advance the open-source Python programming language while fostering its international community of developers.[1][2] The PSF stewards Python's intellectual property rights, ensures its free global distribution, and supports core implementation efforts including the CPython reference interpreter through dedicated staff and resources.[1][3] It organizes flagship events like PyCon US, administers the Python Package Index (PyPI) for software distribution, and awards grants—distributing over $655,000 USD in 2024 to 257 projects across 61 countries—to bolster community initiatives in education, diversity, and application development.[1][4] Under PSF oversight, Python has achieved preeminence as the most popular programming language on platforms like GitHub, driving innovations in data analysis, artificial intelligence, web frameworks, and scientific research due to its readability, extensibility, and ecosystem of libraries.[4][5]Measurement Units
Pounds per Square Foot
Pounds per square foot (psf) is an imperial unit of pressure defined as the force of one pound-force exerted over an area of one square foot.[6][7] This unit arises from the imperial system's combination of force in pounds and area in square feet, where pressure P = F / A, with F in lbf and A in ft².[6] It is directly related to pounds per square inch (psi) by a factor of 144, since one square foot equals 144 square inches.[6][8] In the International System of Units (SI), 1 psf equals approximately 47.8803 pascals (Pa), where 1 Pa = 1 N/m².[6][9] This conversion derives from the definitions: 1 lbf ≈ 4.44822 N and 1 ft² = 0.092903 m², yielding $1 \, \text{psf} = \frac{4.44822}{0.092903} \approx 47.8803 \, \text{Pa}.[6] Psf is primarily used in countries employing imperial or customary units, such as the United States, for applications requiring lower pressure ranges compared to psi.[6] The unit finds extensive application in civil engineering and construction, particularly for specifying distributed loads on structures like floors, roofs, and walls.[10][6] For instance, building codes often mandate minimum live load capacities, such as 40 psf for residential floors or 100 psf for office spaces, to ensure structural safety under occupancy and movable loads.[10] In HVAC systems, psf measures static pressure in ducts, aiding design for airflow resistance.[6] It also appears in geotechnical engineering for soil bearing capacities and in aviation for wing loading calculations.[6] These uses emphasize psf's role in practical, low-to-moderate pressure scenarios where imperial measurements persist despite SI adoption elsewhere.[6][10]Other Units
In addition to pounds per square foot (psf), pressure measurements in imperial units often employ pounds per square inch (psi), where 1 psi equals exactly 144 psf due to the 144 square inches in a square foot.[11][12] This conversion is standard in engineering applications like fluid dynamics and structural analysis.[12] The SI equivalent unit is the pascal (Pa), defined as one newton per square meter; 1 psf converts to 47.8803 Pa, facilitating international comparisons in scientific and technical contexts.[6][7] Other related imperial units include ounces-force per square inch (ozf/in²) and inches of water column (inH₂O at standard conditions), though direct conversions from psf vary with temperature and gravity assumptions, typically requiring hydrostatic principles for precision.[13] For higher pressures, such as in geotechnical engineering, kilopounds per square foot (ksf) is used, where 1 ksf = 1,000 psf, scaling psf values for loads like soil bearing capacities.[6] Conversions to bar or atmospheres are less common for psf-scale applications but follow from Pa equivalents, with 1 bar ≈ 2,088.54 psf.[6]| Unit | Conversion Factor to psf | Example Application |
|---|---|---|
| psi | 1 psi = 144 psf | Hydraulic systems, tire pressure |
| Pa | 1 Pa ≈ 0.020885 psf | Scientific instrumentation |
| inH₂O (at 4°C) | 1 inH₂O ≈ 5.202 psf | HVAC duct testing |
| ksf | 1 ksf = 1,000 psf | Foundation design loads |