StellarPressure
Fluids, just like all other matter, interact through forces. For fluids, it is more efficient to consider the fluid acting through pressure rather than forces since there are so many individual particles that make up the fluid. Pressure is defined as the ratio of force to area. Pressure is a scalar, measured in Pascals (Pa), and represented with the variable .
- represents the pressure exerted by a force
- is the perpendicular force exerted on a surface
- is the area over which the force was exerted
When a fluid is in a container, it is important to note that pressure does not only exist at the edge of the fluid when it hits the container. Pressure exists throughout the fluid, since forces act within an entire fluid. You can imagine the molecules in a fluid are hitting each other and hitting the container, meaning that pressure is everywhere in the fluid.
In an ideal fluid, the fluid cannot be compressed. This means that no matter the pressure exerted on the said fluid, its volume will not change.