Final answer:
The force exerted on a 28 cm by 43 cm rectangular surface by atmospheric pressure at sea level is 12,196.52 N, calculated using the formula F = P × A, with the pressure at 101.3 kPa and the area converted from cm² to m².
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the force exerted by atmospheric pressure on a rectangular surface, we can use the formula F = P × A, where F is the force in newtons (N), P is the pressure in pascals (Pa), and A is the area in square meters (m²). Given that the atmospheric pressure at sea level is 101.3 kPa (101,300 Pa) and the surface area of the rectangle is 28 cm x 43 cm, we first need to convert the area from centimeters squared to meters squared by using the conversion 1 m² = 10,000 cm². The area of the rectangle is therefore 0.28 m x 0.43 m = 0.1204 m². Applying the formula, we find the force: F = 101,300 Pa × 0.1204 m² = 12,196.52 N.