Knowra Aquatic locomotion Aquatic locomotion Aquatic locomotion is movement through water by organisms, produced by swimming, walking, jet propulsion, or other modes of propulsion. Its mechanics depend on interactions among body shape, appendages, and water.
Thrust : A force that propels an object forward, generated by pushing fluid or material backward. Swimming organisms generate forward motion by accelerating water backward.
Fluid dynamics : The study of how liquids and gases move and exert forces. Aquatic locomotion is governed by forces arising from moving water.
Fish locomotion : Movement by fishes using body and fin motions to propel, steer, and stabilize themselves. Fish demonstrate several distinct modes of aquatic propulsion.
Subaqueous flight : Propulsion through water by wing-like surfaces that generate lift, as in penguins and sea turtles. It resembles flying more than tail-driven swimming, though water replaces air.
Drag : A force opposing motion through a fluid, arising from friction and pressure differences. Body shape and speed determine how much water resists locomotion.
Buoyancy : The upward force exerted by a fluid on an immersed object, equal to the weight of displaced fluid. Buoyancy offsets weight and can reduce the effort needed to stay at depth.
Cetacean locomotion : Movement by whales, dolphins, and porpoises, chiefly powered by vertical tail-fluke strokes. Cetaceans use powerful tail strokes and streamlined bodies for sustained swimming.
Ciliary locomotion : Movement produced by coordinated beating of microscopic hairlike cilia. Small aquatic organisms can travel without large fins, limbs, or body strokes.
Reynolds number : A dimensionless ratio comparing inertial forces with viscous forces in fluid flow. It helps explain why tiny swimmers experience water differently from large animals.
Hydrodynamics : The study of liquids in motion and their interactions with boundaries and bodies. It describes the water forces acting on moving organisms.
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