Hidrofizika

Hidrofizika, often translated as hydro physics, is a branch of physics that studies the physical properties and behavior of liquids, with a focus on water and its interactions with forces, boundaries and media. It covers hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, surface phenomena such as capillarity and surface tension, and interfacial processes including phase changes and wetting. Researchers use theoretical analyses, laboratory experiments and computational models to understand how liquids move and how they transfer momentum, energy and mass in environments ranging from tiny capillaries to oceans.

Core topics include hydrostatics (pressure in fluids at rest), hydrodynamics (flow and forces in moving fluids), buoyancy and Archimedes' principle, and the Navier–Stokes equations that describe viscous flows. It also examines boundary layers, turbulence, laminar-to-turbulent transitions, wave phenomena on free surfaces (gravity and capillary waves), tides and ocean currents, as well as multiphase and interfacial flows (air–water, droplets, emulsions). Capillarity, wettability and surface roughness influence fluid behavior at small scales. The rheology of complex liquids and suspensions is another area of study.

Applications span engineering, environmental science and geophysics, including hydraulic engineering, ship and offshore design, pumping and piping systems, hydropower, coastal protection and sediment transport. In earth and atmospheric sciences, hidrofizika informs hydrology, oceanography and climate-related processes. With advances in microfabrication, microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip systems also rely on hydrodynamics at small scales. The field has a long history, with roots in Archimedes' principles and later developments by Bernoulli, Euler, and Navier–Stokes.