By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Stress quantifies the internal forces that neighboring particles of a continuous material exert on each other. It is generally defined as force per unit area.
Normal stress from force and area.
σ = F / A
σ is the normal stress, F is the perpendicular force and A is the cross‑sectional area.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| σ | Normal stress. |
| F | Perpendicular force. |
| A | Cross‑sectional area. |
σ = 10 000 N / 5×10⁻⁴ m² = 20 000 000 Pa = 20 MPa.
Continue with the Strain Calculator, Young's Modulus Calculator, or the Shear Modulus Calculator — or browse more materials and elasticity tools and all physics calculators.
Pressure is always compressive and normal to a surface. Stress can be normal or shear and acts on internal planes.
Results are computed from the standard equations of classical mechanics. Unit conversions use the SI definitions published by NIST. Air resistance is ignored unless the calculator names a drag model.
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Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
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Content updated: September 2026