Fluid mechanics studies the behavior of liquids and gases under forces. It has two fields of study: statics and dynamics. Its roots go back to ancient Greeks and Persian philosophers. It has three basic premises: conservation of mass, momentum, and continuum hypothesis. The latter is an approximation used as a computational tool.
Fluid mechanics is a branch of physics concerned with the study of fluids and the ways in which they interact with forces. Both liquids and gases are considered fluids for purposes of this branch of science. Often, the field of fluid mechanics is divided into two more specific fields of study. These are the statics of fluids and fluid dynamics, which respectively concern fluids at rest and fluids in motion. Fluid mechanics can involve very complex mathematics and the help of modern computers has significantly improved this science.
The chronological roots of fluid mechanics go back at least to the ancient Greeks. The Greek physicist and inventor Archimedes was the author of some of the first studies known to us concerning the statics of fluids, including the property of buoyancy. Persian philosophers in the medieval period coupled these ancient works with their own studies of fluid dynamics which acted as a forerunner of modern fluid dynamics. Famous historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci and Sir Isaac Newton, among others, have made notable contributions to our understanding of fluid mechanics.
Each type of science starts from basic and fundamental assumptions that govern the course of their study. Fluid mechanics is typically defined as having three basic premises or assumptions at its root. The first is the conservation of mass, which means that mass can neither be created nor destroyed spontaneously, although it can change shape. The second assumption, conservation of momentum, is somewhat similar. This law states that the total momentum in a closed system is constant and cannot appear or disappear spontaneously.
The third basic assumption governing fluid mechanics is what is known as the continuum hypothesis. This is a way of looking at fluids that does not take into account the presence of discrete molecules. Instead, it is assumed that the properties of a fluid vary continuously from one point to another.
Because it ignores the actual nature of small particles of matter, the continuum hypothesis is only an approximation used as a computational tool. It can result in a slightly inaccurate solution, but also very accurate solutions under ideal circumstances. There are other, more exact methods, but this assumption is often very useful as a preliminary assumption. Many times, it can also be assumed that a given fluid is incompressible, meaning it cannot be compressed. However, this is only true for liquids and not for gases.
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