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Overview

Fluid mechanics is the study of the behavior of gases and liquids at rest and in motion.  Its applications range from the ordinary such as monitoring water flowing through household pipes and modeling wind patterns for predicting the weather, to the extraordinary such as designing the liquid fuel channels in a rocket engine and developing an artificial heart to pump blood.  Aerodynamics focuses on the forces exerted by the air or other gases on solid bodies. It is from the study of aerodynamics that we learn why an aircraft wing generates lift and why a golf ball has dimples.  Though often particularly related to aircraft and spacecraft, aerodynamics also finds application in automotive and marine vehicle design.