Hydrostatic Pressure Calculator
Find the pressure increase with fluid depth, absolute pressure and the incremental force on a horizontal patch. Keep surface pressure separate from gauge pressure.
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Result
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Calculation steps
Work through one step at a time or reveal the complete calculation. The steps use your current inputs.
How to calculate
For a stationary fluid of constant density, weight above a point addsρgh to surface pressure. Multiply this pressure increase by a horizontal patch area for incremental force relative to surface pressure.
Gauge increase=ρgh; absolute pressure=Psurface+ρgh; incremental force=ρghA
Worked example
At2m depth in1000kg/m³ water withg=9.8, pressure increase is19.6kPa. Adding101.325kPa surface pressure gives120.925kPa absolute. The increase acts with9800N on0.5m².
Assumptions and input details
Depth, surface pressure and area must be nonnegative; density and gravity are positive. Area is the square of the selected basis unit. The force is pressure increase times horizontal area, not the varying-pressure resultant on a vertical wall. An opposite-side pressure must be subtracted separately to find a net physical load. Entered base-unit magnitudes are limited to1e12 unless a tighter limit is stated. Results use floating-point arithmetic. These are ideal-model estimates, not equipment load ratings.
References: OpenStax fluid pressure
Unit definitions
Unit selection is independent of language. Each selector contains only units for its physical quantity. Calculations use defined base units internally.
Choose from 23 length definitions, including explicitly labelled regional measures. Area conversions square the length factor; geometric volumes cube it.
Regional measures are not interchangeable merely because their names look similar. This is a documented selection, not a claim to include every historical unit.
NIST measurement tables · Japanese traditional units · Mainland China and Hong Kong unit distinctions
Using this calculator
Can I enter my own problem?
Yes. Replace the example values with your own inputs. The result, calculation steps, tables and applicable diagrams update from those inputs. Blank or invalid values clear the result; example values are never silently substituted for missing inputs.
Are the results exact?
Results use floating-point arithmetic and displayed rounding. Read the formula, assumptions and any stated data precision before interpreting the result.
Is my input uploaded?
The calculation runs in your browser. No account, file upload or external AI service is required. Inputs are not saved between page reloads.
Convert pressure across SI and other common units. Distinguish absolute and gauge readings using a reference pressure you enter, and compare both in a unit table.
Compare an object’s weight with displaced-fluid buoyancy. Enter displacement directly or estimate whether a uniform object floats, sinks or is neutrally buoyant.
Find density, mass or volume from the other two values. Choose international and regional units and inspect the formula and unit-conversion tables.
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