Chapter 9
Understanding the Mechanics of Fluids and Cohesive Forces
In This Chapter
Comprehending pressure and fluids
Focusing on the Archimedes principle
Conserving energy and the amount of fluid
Becoming more cohesive
Many situations in biophysics involve biological systems that are fluid and need something to contain them. For instance, take your morning cup of coffee. Could you drink it (and enjoy it) without a cup to contain it? Organisms need fluids for the transportation of nutrients and waste within the system (because solids aren’t very good at doing that).
This chapter discusses the forces and energy involved with the mechanics of fluids and their application to biophysics. Here I introduce the concepts of pressure, density, and Pascal’s principle; discuss Archimedes’ principle and the buoyant force; cover the conservation laws, so you can understand that what doesn’t change is just as important as what does change; and examine cohesive forces and some of their applications in biophysics.
Pushing On Fluids — Pressure and Density
The big difference between solids and fluids ...
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