Fluid Mechanics Overview

Flashcards covering key concepts and definitions in fluid mechanics.

Fluid Mechanics

The branch of physics that studies how fluids move and how they interact with forces.

Fluid

Any substance that flows and takes the shape of its container.

Density

The mass per unit volume of a substance, typically measured in kg/m³.

Specific Gravity (SG)

The ratio of a substance’s density to the density of a reference substance.

Pressure

The force applied perpendicular to a surface per unit area, measured in Pascals (Pa).

Hydrostatic Pressure

Pressure exerted by a fluid at rest; increases with depth due to the weight of the fluid.

Pascal's Principle

External pressure applied to a confined liquid is transmitted uniformly in all directions.

Archimedes' Principle

An object submerged in a fluid experiences an upward force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.

Buoyancy

The upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of an immersed object.

Continuity Equation

In fluid dynamics, mass flow rate is constant; applies to both incompressible and compressible fluids.

Bernoulli's Principle

In a moving fluid, faster flow results in lower pressure and slower flow results in higher pressure.