Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Fluid mechanics is the study of how fluids (liquids and gases) behave and interact with forces. It involves understanding concepts like pressure, buoyancy, and flow.
Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. It describes how "thick" or "sticky" a fluid is, and it depends on the internal friction between its particles.
Pressure is the force exerted per unit area on an object by a fluid. It can be thought of as the "push" that fluids apply on surfaces they come into contact with.