What does hydraulics study?

Hydraulics is a branch of engineering that focuses on the behavior and properties of liquids, particularly water, both in motion and at rest. This field is essential for understanding how fluids move through various systems, such as pipes, channels, and hydraulic machinery. It involves studying concepts such as flow rates, pressure dynamics, and the interaction of fluids with their surroundings.

In contrast to other areas of study, hydraulics specifically emphasizes the movement and equilibrium of fluids, making it critical for designing systems like water supply networks, wastewater management, and various engineering applications. The understanding gained from hydraulics is instrumental in ensuring that systems operate efficiently and safely.

The other options relate to different fields: the properties of gases pertains to thermodynamics, pressure in solid structures relates to solid mechanics, and heat transfer in liquids is a topic within thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, but none captures the comprehensive scope of fluid behavior as hydraulics does.