Pressure Calculator: Find Pressure, Force or Area

Find the pressure from a force on an area, or the force or area from the pressure.

Calculated from standard textbook formulas, with every step shown. The formulas are fixed, so the working does not need checking: what matters is the numbers you type in. Use these calculators only if you are competent to choose the inputs (loads, material strength, dimensions, supports) and check your units and assumptions. For learning and checking your own working: design and sign-off are for a qualified engineer. Drafting Central does not store the numbers you type.

How this calculator works

Choose which quantity you want to find.

Enter the other values in the units shown.

The calculator gives the answer with the formula, the substituted numbers, and the answer in other units.

Formulas used

  • P = \frac{F}{A}
  • F = P\,A
  • A = \frac{F}{P}

Worked example

With the default numbers in the calculator above:

  1. The formula, arranged to find the pressure: pressure = (force) / (area)
  2. Put the values in (every value in its SI unit): pressure = (500) / (0.01)
  3. The answer: pressure: 50000 Pa
  4. The same answer in other units: 50 kPa; 0.5 bar; 0.493462 atm; 7.25189 psi; 375.031 mmHg

Change the numbers in the calculator to see the full working, every step, for your own case.

A second worked example

A different case, with these numbers: What do you want to find? Area; Pressure (leave it as it is if this is what you are finding) 50000 Pa; Force (leave it as it is if this is what you are finding) 500 N.

  1. The formula, arranged to find the area: area = (force) / (pressure)
  2. Put the values in (every value in its SI unit): area = (500) / (50000)
  3. The answer: area: 0.01 m2
  4. The same answer in other units: 100 cm2; 10000 mm2; 15.5 in2; 0.107639 ft2

Common questions

What is the formula for pressure?

Pressure equals force divided by area. A force of 500 N on 0.01 m2 gives 50 000 Pa, which is 50 kPa.

How do I convert Pa to psi?

Multiply by 0.000145. 100 kPa is about 14.5 psi.

Why does a smaller area give more pressure?

The force is concentrated on less area, so each square centimetre carries more of it.

Related calculators

Got a question about this? Ask an engineering question and get a plain-language answer with references.

Further reading: Any school physics text (pressure).

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