Online Tools

    Pressure Calculator

    Calculate pressure, force or contact area from formula with SI, metric and imperial units.

    Quick scenarios
    Pressure
    17.5
    Uses force 700 N and area 0.04 m².
    in Pa
    17,500
    in kPa
    17.5
    in MPa
    0.018
    in bar
    0.175
    in atm
    0.173
    in kgf/cm²
    0.178
    in psi
    2.538
    in mmHg
    131.3
    Comparable to: 👟 70 kg person on two feet (~14 kPa)
    Pressure comparison on a logarithmic scale
    The scale is logarithmic: each step increases pressure by 10x. Your calculation is highlighted in blue.

    Pressure from force and area

    This page matches the force-over-area pressure intent for solids and contact surfaces.

    P is pressure, F the normal force and A the contact area.

    Smaller contact area gives higher pressure for the same force.

    Contact pressure caveat

    Uniform area assumption
    The calculator assumes force is distributed uniformly over the entered area. Real contact stress can be concentrated at edges or small contact patches.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Sources and References

    Calculations are based on the listed reference sources. Links open in a new tab.

    Updated:

    Related Tools

    Force Calculator

    Solve Newton's second law for force, mass or acceleration with SI and imperial force units.

    Open
    Density Calculator

    Calculate density, mass or volume with metric and imperial units, material references and a water-density comparison.

    Open
    Gravity Calculator

    Calculate weight from mass and gravity, gravitational force between two bodies, or local gravity at altitude.

    Open