Pressure
Solve pressure, force, or area using the relation P = F/A. Get fast answers with step-by-step formulas for physics and engineering problems.
Key formula
P = F / A
How do you calculate pressure?
Pressure is P = F / A. Divide force by contact area. Rearrange to F = P A or A = F/P. In SI, report pascals (or kPa). Sharper contact (smaller A) raises pressure for the same force.
About this tool
Pressure is force spread over area: P = F/A. This page keeps that ratio visible so you can solve for pressure, force, or area without mixing cm² with m².
How to use this calculator
- Choose the variable you want to solve for and confirm which values are already known.
- Enter inputs in consistent units before calculating so the formula is applied correctly.
- Check whether the result is physically reasonable by comparing it with the size of the inputs.
- Use the step-by-step breakdown to see how the equation was rearranged and evaluated.
Worked examples
Example 1: find pressure
F = 50 N, A = 0.002 m². P = 50/0.002 = 25 000 Pa = 25 kPa.
Example 2: find force
P = 200 000 Pa, A = 0.015 m². F = P A = (200 000)(0.015) = 3000 N.
Example 3: find area
F = 120 N, P = 40 000 Pa. A = F/P = 120/40000 = 0.003 m².
Frequently asked questions
What is the pressure formula?
P = F/A, where F is perpendicular force and A is area. SI unit is the pascal (Pa). Rearrangements are F = PA and A = F/P.
What is a pascal?
1 Pa = 1 N/m². Atmospheric pressure is about 101 325 Pa ≈ 101 kPa. Many problems report kPa or atm for convenience.
Does direction matter?
Use the force component perpendicular to the surface. A glancing force has a smaller normal component and a smaller pressure contribution.
How does pressure relate to fluids?
In fluids, pressure acts in all directions. Hydrostatic pressure also grows with depth (ρgh). This calculator is the basic contact form P = F/A.
How do I convert cm² to m²?
Divide cm² by 10 000 (since 1 m² = 10 000 cm²). Mixing cm² with newtons is a common source of huge errors.