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Physics Lesson 9.1.2 - What Are Fluids?
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Welcome to our Physics lesson on What Are Fluids?, this is the second lesson of our suite of physics lessons covering the topic of Fluids. Density of Fluids, you can find links to the other lessons within this tutorial and access additional physics learning resources below this lesson.
What Are Fluids?
The dictionary describes the meaning of word "fluid" as "something able to flow easily". In this regard, only liquids and gases qualify to belong in this category as they can flow easily. For example, if you pour some water on the floor, it immediately spreads along the entire surface due to the flowing process. Likewise, if you press the nozzle of a perfume bottle, all people present in that room will smell almost immediately its scent because the perfume's particles flow easily in the air.
You may ask yourself why solids (especially when crushed) do not belong to the "family" of fluids. As an argument to question the above definition you may use the example of flour when poured on a cooking utensil. Apparently, the flour seems as flowing. However, unlike in liquids, it is quite impossible for such substances distribute evenly throughout the utensil. The flour will stay more or less in the position shown below.
Therefore, despite powder-like solids can flow at a certain extent they cannot be considered as fluids, because their flow is not so easy. Moreover, their upper surface is not flat like in liquids.
You have reached the end of Physics lesson 9.1.2 What Are Fluids?. There are 5 lessons in this physics tutorial covering Fluids. Density of Fluids, you can access all the lessons from this tutorial below.
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Enjoy the "What Are Fluids?" physics lesson? People who liked the "Fluids. Density of Fluids lesson found the following resources useful:
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- Density and Pressure Practice Questions: Fluids. Density of Fluids. Test and improve your knowledge of Fluids. Density of Fluids with example questins and answers
- Check your calculations for Density and Pressure questions with our excellent Density and Pressure calculators which contain full equations and calculations clearly displayed line by line. See the Density and Pressure Calculators by iCalculator™ below.
- Continuing learning density and pressure - read our next physics tutorial: Pressure. Solid Pressure
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