Calculate Pressure, Force and Area

Online calculator and formulas for calculating pressure, force and area

Pressure, Force and Area Calculator

Calculate pressure

Calculates the relationship between Pressure (p), Force (F) and Area (A). Pressure describes the force per unit area.

Result
Pressure:
Force:
Area:

Example Calculation

Example: Hydraulic car jack
Problem:

A hydraulic car jack generates a force of 2000 N with a piston of 5 cm² area. What is the pressure in the hydraulic system?

Given:
  • Force F = 2000 N
  • Area A = 5 cm² = 0.0005 m²
  • Find: Pressure p
Solution:
\[p = \frac{F}{A}\]
\[p = \frac{2000 \text{ N}}{0.0005 \text{ m}^2}\]
\[p = 4{,}000{,}000 \text{ Pa} = 4 \text{ MPa}\]
Practical Applications
Hydraulics: Car jacks, brakes, presses, excavators
Pneumatics: Compressed air systems, tires, compressors
Everyday life: Water pipes, pressure cookers, car tires
Pressure Units Comparison
  • 1 bar = 100,000 Pa
  • 1 atm ≈ 101,325 Pa
  • 1 psi ≈ 6,895 Pa
  • Atmospheric pressure: ~1 bar
  • Tire pressure: ~2-3 bar
  • Water tap: ~3-6 bar

Formulas for pressure, force and area

Pressure describes the force per unit area. The units of measurement are Pascal (Pa) for pressure, Newton (N) for force and square meter (m²) for area.

Calculate pressure

Basic formula for calculating pressure from force and area.

\[\displaystyle p = \frac{F}{A}\]
p = Pressure [Pa]
F = Force [N]
A = Area [m²]
Calculate force

Rearrangement of the basic formula to calculate force.

\[\displaystyle F = p \cdot A\]
Force is the product of pressure and area.
Calculate area

Rearrangement to calculate the effective area.

\[\displaystyle A = \frac{F}{p}\]
Area results from force divided by pressure.
Important Notes
  • Pressure acts perpendicular to the surface
  • 1 Pascal = 1 N/m² = 1 kg/(m·s²)
  • Smaller area with same force creates higher pressure
  • In liquids and gases, pressure propagates uniformly (Pascal's principle)

Detailed description of pressure, force and area

Physical Fundamentals

This function calculates the relationship between pressure, force and area. Pressure is defined as the force acting perpendicular to a surface per unit area. It is a fundamental quantity in the mechanics of liquids and gases.

Usage Instructions

To calculate, select which value should be calculated using the radio buttons. Then enter the required values and click the 'Calculate' button.

Application Areas

Hydraulics and Pneumatics

Car jacks, brake systems, presses, excavators, compressed air systems. Foundation for all hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

Engineering

Pressure vessels, pipelines, valves, pumps. Important for the design and safety of systems.

Everyday Life and Household

Water pipes, car tires, pressure cookers, pressure sprayers. Pressure is present everywhere in daily life.

Understanding Pascal's Principle

Pascal's principle states that pressure in liquids spreads uniformly in all directions. This enables force amplification in hydraulic systems:

Small piston (input)

Small force on small area:
\[p = \frac{F_1}{A_1} = \frac{100 \text{ N}}{0.001 \text{ m}^2} = 100{,}000 \text{ Pa}\]

Large piston (output)

Same pressure, large area:
\[F_2 = p \cdot A_2 = 100{,}000 \text{ Pa} \cdot 0.01 \text{ m}^2 = 1000 \text{ N}\]

Result: With 100 N input force, 1000 N output force is generated - a 10-fold amplification!


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