Compressibility

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Compressibility describes how much the volume or density of a material changes when pressure changes. It is commonly defined as the fractional reduction in volume per unit increase in pressure.

Gases are highly compressible because their molecules are widely separated, while liquids and solids are much less compressible. The inverse of compressibility is the bulk modulus.

Compressibility affects the speed of sound, fluid storage, shock waves, acoustic propagation, hydraulic systems, and the behaviour of materials under high pressure. At high flow speeds it becomes essential in aerodynamics.

The property can vary with temperature, pressure, composition, and phase. In geophysics, compressibility helps determine seismic-wave velocities and infer the structure and composition of Earth's interior.

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• Source / publisher: Wikipedia
• URL type: WWW
• Credits: Wikipedia
• URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressibility