The Flow of Dry Water: Feynman's Physics Explained
Fluid dynamics studies liquids and gases in motion. The simplest case is an ideal fluid — incompressible and with no internal friction — playfully called 'dry water.' Its motion obeys Euler's equations, and for steady flow this gives Bernoulli's theorem, a statement of energy conservation along a streamline: where the fluid moves fast, the pressure is low, and where it moves slow, the pressure is high.
The big idea
In smooth flow, fast-moving fluid has low pressure (Bernoulli).
Think about it
How does air rushing faster over the top of a wing help create the lift that holds up an airplane?
← More Physics (Feynman Lectures) guides · Explore the Physics (Feynman Lectures) module →
📧 Get a free brain-teaser every morning
Join thousands of families learning something new each day.
Subscribe free