MAXScanner physics & engineering calculator
Hydrostatic Pressure Calculator — Fluid Depth, Density & Absolute Pressure
Calculate gauge pressure from fluid density and depth, then optionally add atmospheric/surface pressure for absolute pressure.
Last updated: September 17, 2026
Results
Enter non-negative depth and positive fluid density
Formula, example and assumptions
Pgauge=ρgh; Pabsolute=Psurface+ρgh.
Ten metres of fresh water adds roughly 98.1 kPa of hydrostatic gauge pressure.
- Density is treated as constant with depth.
- The calculation is static and excludes velocity head, friction losses and transient pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Is hydrostatic pressure gauge or absolute?
ρgh is the pressure increase relative to the free surface. Add surface absolute pressure when you need absolute pressure.
Does container shape matter?
For a static fluid of uniform density, pressure at a given depth depends on depth, density and gravity rather than container shape.