Physics of Fluids

The scope of this book is to provide readers having a knowledge of calculus and Physics at the college level with an introduction to physics of fluids. That of fluid is one of the various states of matter, the most common in nature both on the Earth and in the astronomical context. Fluids, which include liquids, gases and plasmas, are essential for life: the air we breathe is a gas, the atmosphere which shields us from harmful radiations is a gas mixture, the water we drink and feeds plants is a liquid, and the salted water of seas and oceans is a liquid. So, a basic knowledge of the behavior of gases and liquids should actually constitute a natural value for everyone’s culture. Such a knowledge might be helpful, for instance, in distinguishing better what is true and what is false among the many assessments that are commonly stated about things like global warming, greenhouse effect, ice retreat and so on. I wrote this book with the aim of coupling rigor in mathematical developments to a clear and intuitive representation of the various phenomena characterizing the often very complicated behavior of fluids in nature, in terrestrial as well as in astronomical environments. I tried to do this in a short volume which can be easily understood and handled. I proposed also a few developed exercises which should be helpful in a better understanding of the topics