Calculate pressure based on applied force and contact area.
Last updated: March 2026 | By ForgeCalc Engineering
Pressure is the amount of force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. It is a scalar quantity and is measured in units of force per unit area.
The SI unit for pressure is the Pascal (Pa), which is equal to one Newton per square meter (N/m²). Commonly used non-SI units include PSI (pounds per square inch), bar, and atmospheres (atm).
Pressure is inversely proportional to area. If you apply the same force over a smaller area, the pressure increases. This is why a sharp knife cuts better than a dull one.
It is the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere. At sea level, it is approximately 101,325 Pa or 14.7 PSI.
Pressure usually refers to external forces acting on a surface (like a fluid on a wall), while stress refers to internal forces within a material resisting deformation.
Absolute pressure cannot be negative, but 'gauge pressure' can be negative if the pressure is lower than atmospheric pressure (vacuum).
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