Work out pressure instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Pressure is force spread over area, so the same force concentrated on a smaller area produces far more pressure - the reason a drawing pin pierces wood while your thumb does not. 500 N over 0.02 m2 gives 25 kPa, about a quarter of atmospheric pressure.
Pressure
P = F / A
Unit relations
1 bar = 100 kPa; 1 psi = 6894.76 Pa
The edge presents a tiny contact area, so a modest force becomes an enormous pressure that exceeds the material's shear strength.
Neither by itself - it is the pressure that the force produces. Add atmospheric pressure if you need an absolute figure.