ABSTRACT
The aim of Chapter 1 is to provide a broad introduction to fluid mechanics, as a foundation for the more detailed discussion of specific topics contained in Chapters 2–13. We start by considering the characteristics of liquids and gases, and what it is that distinguishes them from solids. The ability to measure and quantify fluid and flow properties is of fundamental importance in engineering, and so at an early stage the related topics of units and dimensions are introduced. We move on to consider the properties of fluids, such as density, pressure, compressibility and viscosity. This is followed by a discussion of the terminology used to describe different flow patterns and types of fluid motion of interest to engineers. The chapter concludes by briefly reviewing the roles of experimentation and mathematical theory in the study of fluid mechanics.
