Enter the density, depth, and total surface area into the calculator to determine the hydrostatic force.

## Hydrostatic Force Formula

The following formula is used to calculate a hydrostatic force.

Hf =  (ρ * g * h – p0) * A

• Where Hf is the hydrostatic force (N, newtons)
•  ρ is the density of the fluid (1000kg/m^3)
• g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s^2)
• h is the depth (m)
• p0 is atmospheric pressure (101,325 pascals)
• A is the total area (m^2)

## What is Hydrostatic Force?

Definition:

A hydrostatic force, also commonly referred to as the buoyant force, is a measure of the force acting on an object that is submerged underwater that arises from the differences in pressure between the water and the atmosphere above it.

## How to calculate hydrostatic force?

Example:

The following example outlines the steps needed to calculate a hydrostatic force.

First, determine the density of the fluid. We are assuming freshwater for this example so the density is 1000kg/m^3.

Next, determine the depth of the object. In this case, the object is at a depth of 100 meters.

Next, determine the surface area of the object. In this problem, the surface area is calculated to be 10m^2

Finally, calculate the hydrostatic pressure using the formula above:

Hf =  (ρ * g * h + p0) * A

Hf =  (1000 * 9.81 * 100 + 101325) * 10

Hf =  10,823,250 N