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What unit is commonly used to measure the flow rate of water in plumbing?

  1. Gallons per minute (GPM)

  2. Pounds per square inch (PSI)

  3. Cubic feet per second (CFS)

  4. Liters per hour (LPH)

The correct answer is: Gallons per minute (GPM)

Gallons per minute (GPM) is a standard unit used to measure the flow rate of water in plumbing systems. This measurement indicates how many gallons of water pass through a certain point in a plumbing system per minute, which is crucial for assessing water supply rates for fixtures and appliances. Understanding flow rate enables plumbers to determine the adequacy of water supply for different applications and helps in the design and installation of plumbing systems to ensure optimal performance. While options like pounds per square inch (PSI) measure pressure, cubic feet per second (CFS) is more common in broader hydraulic engineering contexts, and liters per hour (LPH) is often used in specific applications, GPM is the most prevalent measurement in residential and commercial plumbing scenarios. This makes GPM the most relevant and widely accepted unit for assessing flow rate in plumbing practices.