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The fluidity of liquids: Why do they change shape so easily but not spread?
Liquid is one of the four basic states of matter, along with solid, gas and plasma. Their properties are that they can easily change shape, but they cannot diffuse throughout a container like a gas. Due to these properties, liquids play an important role in a wide range of applications. From liquid food in daily life to hydraulic systems in industry, the flow characteristics of liquids affect our lives.
Basic properties of liquids
Liquids are made up of tiny vibrating particles, called molecules or atoms, held together by intermolecular bonds.
Compared to gases, liquids generally have a higher density, which makes them resist external pressure in a more stable shape. When a liquid is placed in a container, it adapts to the shape of the container, but it retains its volume, which is one of the key characteristics of liquid fluidity.
Liquid Applications
The flow characteristics of liquids make them widely used in many occasions:
Lubricant
Liquids are widely used in lubrication because they can form a thin flowing layer between solid surfaces, thereby reducing wear and heat generation. For example, motor oil, as the lubricant of choice, must have the proper viscosity to function over a wide range of operating conditions.
Coolant
Liquids have good thermal conductivity and can therefore effectively remove excess heat from mechanical components. Whether using water or glycol as a coolant in an engine or in an industrial process, liquids are efficient at removing excess heat to prevent overheating.
During the cooking process, liquids not only conduct heat, but also further transfer heat energy through convection.
Oil and water mixing
In daily cooking, the combination of liquids such as water and oil can achieve the best cooking results. The fluidity of liquids allows them to conduct heat evenly during the heating process, thereby improving the cooking efficiency of food.
Unusual properties of liquids
Liquids can undergo different phase changes under certain conditions, including evaporation, condensation and even crystallization.
Liquids generally require a relatively narrow range of temperature and pressure to exist, so the appearance of liquids is relatively rare in the universe. Most known substances exist more often as gases or solids. By understanding the above phenomena, scientists can study how to change the state of liquids under specific conditions to meet various needs.
Liquid Flow and Pressure
In a liquid, changes in pressure are transmitted evenly to every part of the liquid, which allows liquids to operate efficiently in a variety of applications. This characteristic has also promoted the development of hydraulic technology, which is widely used in mechanical devices and various equipment.
Attracting future research
With the development of science and technology, studying the behavior of liquids in different applications, especially in extreme environments, will become a hot topic in the future. The application of liquid metals and the properties of non-Newtonian fluids are areas that continue to attract the attention of scientists.
In the future, how will liquids affect our society and technological development?
