Pressure Calculator
Calculate pressure from a force spread over an area, with results in pascals, kPa, bar, psi and atmospheres.
How it works
P = F / A · 1 Pa = 1 N/m² · 1 bar = 100,000 Pa · 1 atm = 101,325 Pa
Pressure is force spread over the area it acts on, measured in pascals (newtons per square metre). The same force feels very different depending on area — which is why a sharp knife (tiny area, huge pressure) cuts while a flat hand does not. Spreading a load over more area lowers the pressure, the principle behind snowshoes and wide tyres.
Worked example
A 500 N load resting on 0.25 m² exerts P = 500 / 0.25 = 2000 Pa, which is 2 kPa or about 0.29 psi. Halving the contact area to 0.125 m² would double the pressure to 4 kPa.
Sources: Pressure — Wikipedia
Frequently asked questions
What is a pascal?
One pascal is one newton of force spread over one square metre — a very small unit. Everyday pressures are quoted in kilopascals, bar or psi: atmospheric pressure is about 101 kPa, roughly 14.7 psi.
Why does a smaller area increase pressure?
Pressure is force divided by area, so the same force concentrated on a smaller area produces a larger pressure. That is why needles, blades and high heels exert intense pressure despite modest forces.
How do the units relate?
1 bar = 100,000 Pa, 1 atm = 101,325 Pa ≈ 14.7 psi, and 1 psi ≈ 6,895 Pa. This calculator shows the same pressure in all of them at once.
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