When studying circulation, fluids often come up. A fluid is a substance that does not have a shape like gas or liquid, and changes shape and flows when force is applied. It seems that wind and air currents that carry the gaseous atmosphere, rivers and ocean currents that carry liquid water, and the mantle, a viscoelastic solid, can all be considered fluids over the long term, so it may be that most of the Earth is made up of fluids.
Laminar and Turbulent Flow
It seems that there are two types of fluids: laminar flow, which flows smoothly and streamlined, and turbulent flow, which flows violently and chaotically. A calm river is a laminar flow, while a swollen river after heavy rain becomes turbulent. Just as the smoke from an incense stick begins to come out as a single laminar flow, and as it rises it becomes turbulent and scatters in the air, it seems that it transitions to turbulent flow as the speed or volume increases. Turbulence is quite common in our daily lives; turbulence can be created in the air when you stir milk in your coffee, or simply by a person or animal moving.The idea is that laminar flow can move materials efficiently, while turbulent flow can mix materials down to a microscopic level.
The Complexity of Turbulence
Turbulence is a chaotic phenomenon in which small changes make big differences, and it is difficult to calculate even with a supercomputer, as large and tiny eddies occur one after another. A large eddy splits into several small eddies in a short time, which then split into even smaller eddies, creating a fractal pattern of similar shapes. A phenomenon that occurs step by step in a chain reaction is also called a cascade, and the movement of turbulence is quite complex. It is amazing how the Earth works, with various turbulences such as air currents and ocean currents constantly occurring.
Fluids by classification
Fluids seem to include internal flows that are surrounded by surroundings, such as the flow of blood or breathing, and external flows that occur over a wide area, such as the flight of birds or the swimming of fish. There are fluids inside living things as well. In addition, based on their characteristics, fluids can be classified as Newtonian fluids, which include many fluids; Bingham fluids, such as lava and glaciers, which flow when a strong force is applied; pseudoplastic fluids, such as blood, which become thin when flowing quickly; and dilatant fluids, such as beach sand, which hardens when pressed. Glaciers and beach sand are also considered fluids, so perhaps anything that moves can be considered a fluid.
Fluids are amazing
Other fluids include water vapor, clouds, fog, volcanic gases, volatile substances from plants, crude oil, and sap, so there seems to be quite a lot of fluids on Earth. Fluids seem to play a role in circulation, but there may also be meaning in the fact that substances flow and circulate. Like laminar flow and turbulent flow, transport and mixing seem to be important elements. Dragons, which sound similar to “flow,” are thought to be fictional beings, but their characteristics may have led to the likening of fluids to the body of a dragon. The Earth may be full of dragons. Fluids are amazing. The Earth is amazing, as it is home to so many fluids.
