Fluid Statics
Part 9: Fluid Statics
This part introduces the physics of fluids at rest, including liquids and gases. You will learn how properties such as density and pressure determine the behavior of fluids, how pressure varies with depth, and how forces are transmitted through fluids. These principles explain many familiar phenomena, from floating objects and hydraulic systems to the behavior of Earth’s atmosphere.
Fluid statics is especially important in the life and health sciences because the human body is composed largely of fluids. You will examine applications involving blood pressure, body fluids, buoyancy, surface tension, and capillary action, all of which play essential roles in physiology and medicine. These concepts are also fundamental to many medical devices, including blood pressure monitors, intravenous (IV) systems, syringes, and hydraulic equipment used in healthcare settings.
This part contains the following chapters:
- Introduction to Fluid Statics
- What Is a Fluid?
- Density
- Pressure
- Variation of Pressure with Depth in a Fluid
- Pascal’s Principle
- Gauge Pressure, Absolute Pressure, and Pressure Measurement
- Archimedes’ Principle
- Cohesion and Adhesion in Liquids: Surface Tension and Capillary Action
- Pressures in the Body
