Fluids in Motion

Fluids in Motion

Understanding Fluids

• Fluids are substances that can flow and take the shape of its container. They include both liquids and gases.
• Viscosity is a measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow.
• Density is mass per unit volume and influences how fluids behave when in motion.

Basic Principles

• Archimedes’ principle states that a body immersed in a fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body.
• Bernoulli’s principle describes that an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in static pressure or a decrease in the fluid’s potential energy.

Velocity and Flow Rate

• Velocity of a fluid refers to the speed in a given direction.
• Flow rate, also known as– discharge, is the volume of fluid which passes per unit time.

Fluid Dynamics

• Involves the study of the effects of forces and energy on fluids in motion.
• It is important to know Turbulent Flow (chaotic, disorderly) and Laminar Flow (streamlined, orderly) in assessing fluid motion.

Application of Fluid Dynamics

• The principles of fluid dynamics are applied in design of efficient plumbing systems, aircraft and automobiles, and even in predicting weather patterns.
• Medical applications include understanding blood flow in the cardiovascular system and respiratory flow in the lungs.