Related Concept Videos

Osmoregulation in Fishes02:32

Osmoregulation in Fishes

When cells are placed in a hypotonic (low-salt) fluid, they can swell and burst. Meanwhile, cells in a hypertonic solution—with a higher salt concentration—can shrivel and die. How do fish cells avoid these gruesome fates in hypotonic freshwater or hypertonic seawater environments?
Buoyancy01:12

Buoyancy

When an object is placed in a fluid, it either floats or sinks. All objects in a fluid experience a buoyant force. For example, a metal ball sinks, while a rubber ball floats. Similarly, a submarine can sink and float by adjusting its buoyancy.  The concept of buoyancy raises several interesting questions. For instance, where does this buoyant force come from? How much buoyant force is required to make an object sink or float? Do objects that sink get any support at all from the fluid? 
To get...
Three-Dimensional Force System01:30

Three-Dimensional Force System

In mechanical engineering, a three-dimensional force system is a system of forces acting in three dimensions, with forces applied along the x, y, and z coordinate axes. The three-dimensional force system is an important concept in mechanical engineering, as it allows engineers to understand and analyze the behavior of objects and structures in three dimensions. By understanding the forces acting on a system, engineers can design more efficient and effective mechanical systems that can withstand...
Vector Addition of Forces01:23

Vector Addition of Forces

When understanding the effects of multiple forces acting on an object, vector addition is a crucial concept to grasp. This mathematical concept can be used to calculate the net force acting on an object when two or more forces are involved.
To understand the concept of vector addition, consider the scenario of a ship being pulled by two small tugboats. The two forces, F1 and F2, act concurrently on the ship in different directions. The parallelogram law can be used to calculate the net force...
Fixed Action Patterns01:06

Fixed Action Patterns

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.
Scalar Notation01:28

Scalar Notation

Scalar notation is a useful method for simplifying calculations involving vectors. When vectors are added or subtracted, their components can be added or subtracted separately using scalar notation. For instance, force, a vector quantity, can be broken down into its x and y components, called rectangular components, and then the magnitude and direction of these components can be determined using trigonometric functions.
Consider a man pulling a rope from a hook in the northeast direction. The...