A Short Description of Flow Mechanism of a Swimming Fish

Abstract

Fish is nature’s archetypal swimmer. Past study of interspecific variation in the swimming speed of fishes has focused on internal physiological mechanisms that may limit the ability of locomotors muscle to generate power. In this paper, we approach the question of why some fishes are able to swim faster than others from a hydrodynamic perspective, using the technique of digital particle image velocimetry which allows measurement of fluid velocity and estimation of wake momentum and mechanical forces for locomotion. Swimming and flying animals generate fluid-dynamic forces by flapping flexible appendages such as wings or fins.