Pressure Calculator
Calculate pressure in pascals and kilopascals by dividing an applied force in newtons by contact area in square metres.
Calculate pressure from force and area
How this tool works
Pressure describes force distributed across area. This calculator uses SI units and reports both pascals and kilopascals, making it easy to see how reducing contact area increases average pressure for the same force.
Pressure P equals perpendicular force F divided by area A. One pascal is one newton per square metre, and one kilopascal equals one thousand pascals.
How to use it
- Enter applied perpendicular force in newtons.
- Enter positive contact area in square metres.
- Read pressure in pascals and kilopascals.
Worked examples
Broad contact area
- Input
- 500 N over 0.25 m²
- Output
- 2,000 Pa
Dividing five hundred newtons by one quarter of a square metre gives two thousand newtons per square metre, or pascals.
Small contact area
- Input
- 100 N over 0.01 m²
- Output
- 10,000 Pa
Concentrating one hundred newtons on one hundredth of a square metre produces ten thousand pascals of average pressure.
Limitations
- The result assumes force is uniformly distributed.
- Fluid depth, atmospheric pressure, shear, and stress concentrations are not modeled.