74 Introduction to Fluid Statics

Much of what we value in life is fluid: a breath of fresh winter air; the hot blue flame in our gas cooker; the water we drink, swim in, and bathe in; and the blood in our veins. What exactly is a fluid? Can we understand fluids using the physical laws we’ve already encountered, or do new principles emerge from their study?

This chapter explores the physical characteristics of static (stationary) fluids and the laws that govern their equilibrium. For deeper insight into fluids in motion, see Fluid Dynamics and Its Biological and Medical Applications.