Hydrostatic Pressure
Calculator
Results
- Pressure
- 98,066.5
- Pressure (bar)
- 0.980665
Physics results
| Pressure | 98,066.5 |
| Pressure (bar) | 0.980665 |
formula-map diagram
- Pressure
- 98,066.5
- Pressure (bar)
- 0.980665
Physical relationship
Formula
P = ρ × g × h= 98066.5
Note
This result applies an idealized textbook equation to the numbers you entered; it ignores air resistance, material tolerances and other real-world losses.
More in Physics and engineering
See all →Frequently asked questions
What does hydrostatic pressure actually measure?+
It's the pressure exerted by a fluid at rest due to the weight of the fluid above a given point. It depends only on the fluid's density, the strength of gravity, and the depth below the surface — not on the shape or size of the container.
Why doesn't the shape of the container matter?+
Pressure at a given depth is caused by the weight of the fluid column directly above that point per unit area, and that column's height is the same regardless of whether the container is wide, narrow, or oddly shaped. This is why a tall thin tube and a wide tank filled to the same depth produce identical pressure at the bottom.
Should I use gauge pressure or absolute pressure for my result?+
The formula gives gauge pressure — the pressure due to the fluid alone, above atmospheric pressure. If you need absolute pressure (what a pressure gauge open to a vacuum would read), add atmospheric pressure, roughly 101,325 Pa at sea level, to the result.
How much does pressure increase per meter of water depth?+
For fresh water, pressure increases by about 9,800 pascals (roughly 0.098 bar, or 1.42 psi) for every meter of depth. Saltwater is slightly denser, so the increase per meter is a bit higher, around 10,050 pascals.
Does the total volume or surface area of the fluid change the pressure at depth?+
No. Only the vertical depth below the surface matters, along with density and gravity. A cup of water and an entire lake produce exactly the same pressure at 10 cm of depth, which is why dams are built thick at the bottom rather than sized to the reservoir's total volume.