Pressure Calculator

Determine pressure from force and area in various systems. Calculate hydrostatic pressure, atmospheric pressure variations, and pressure in confined gases.

Force

Area

About Pressure Calculator

Understanding Pressure

Our Pressure Calculator helps you solve two fundamental pressure problems: standard pressure from force and area, and hydrostatic pressure in fluid systems. Understanding pressure is essential across numerous fields including engineering, physics, construction, medicine, meteorology, and everyday applications like tire inflation and water systems.

Regular Pressure

Pressure is the force applied perpendicular to a surface per unit area. It describes how force concentrates over a given area, which explains why sharp objects penetrate more easily than blunt ones—the same force applied over a smaller area creates higher pressure.

P = F / A

Units and References:

P = pressure (Pascal [Pa] or pounds per square inch [psi] - 1 Pa = 0.000145038 psi)
The Pascal is the SI unit of pressure, equivalent to one newton per square meter. It's named after Blaise Pascal, the 17th-century physicist who made groundbreaking discoveries in fluid mechanics.
F = force (Newton [N] or pound-force [lbf] - 1 lbf = 4.44822 N)
The Newton is the SI unit of force, defined as the force needed to accelerate 1 kg at 1 m/s². For reference, an apple exerts about 1 N of force due to gravity.
A = area (square meters [m²] or square feet [ft²] - 1 ft² = 0.092903 m²)
The square meter is the SI unit for area. For visualization, an average doorway is about 1.5-2 m².

Real-World Applications

Engineering and Construction:

Designing structural components
Foundation requirements
Manufacturing processes
Hydraulic systems

Medical Applications:

Blood pressure monitoring
Ventilator settings
Medical device design
Wound healing studies

Hydrostatic Pressure

Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium due to the force of gravity. This pressure increases linearly with depth—you can feel this increased pressure in your ears when diving into deep water.

P = ρ × g × h

Components Explained:

ρ (rho) = fluid density (kg/m³ or lb/ft³)
Common values: fresh water (998 kg/m³), seawater (1025 kg/m³), mercury (13,546 kg/m³)
g = gravity (9.81 m/s²)
Standard Earth surface gravity, varies slightly with latitude and altitude
h = height/depth (meters or feet)
Each 10m of water creates approximately 1 atmosphere (101.3 kPa) of pressure

Practical Applications

Industrial Uses:

Water distribution systems
Dam engineering
Submarine design
Hydraulic machinery

Medical Context:

Blood pressure
Cerebrospinal fluid
Intraocular pressure
Diving equipment design

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between pressure and force?

Pressure is force distributed over an area (P = F/A). While force is measured in Newtons (N) or pound-force (lbf), pressure is measured in Pascals (Pa) or pounds per square inch (psi).

Why does hydrostatic pressure increase with depth?

Hydrostatic pressure increases with depth because there's more fluid above exerting weight. Each 10 meters of water depth adds about 1 atmosphere (101.3 kPa) of pressure.

How does fluid density affect hydrostatic pressure?

Denser fluids create more pressure at the same depth. For example, mercury (13,546 kg/m³) creates about 13.6 times more pressure than water (998 kg/m³) at the same depth.

What common pressure units should I use?

Common pressure units include Pascal (Pa), pounds per square inch (psi), atmospheres (atm), and bar. 1 atm = 101,325 Pa = 14.7 psi = 1.013 bar.

Learn More

NIST Pressure Standards Engineering Toolbox Pressure Physics

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