Flux (disambiguation) facts for kids

The word Flux comes from a Latin word meaning "flow." It's used in many different ways to describe things that are moving or changing. Think of it like water flowing in a river, or how your thoughts might flow when you're really focused.

What is Flux?

Flux is a term that helps us understand how things move or change. It can describe a steady movement, like how heat travels through a wall, or how ideas spread. It can also describe a constant change, like how a situation keeps shifting.

Flux in Science

In science, flux often means the rate at which something passes through a surface or area. Imagine a window. The amount of sunlight coming through that window each second is a type of flux.

• Heat flux is how much heat energy moves through an area over time.
• Magnetic flux is about how many magnetic field lines pass through a surface. This is important in things like electric motors.
• Neutron flux is used in nuclear science to describe how many neutrons pass through a certain area.

What is Flow?

The idea of "flow" is central to understanding flux. It's about movement. For example, when you turn on a faucet, water "flows" out. The amount of water flowing out per second is a measure of its flow rate. In science, flux is a more specific way to measure this kind of flow, especially when it goes through a specific boundary or area.

Flux in Making Things

When people make things, especially with metals, flux is a special material.

• Flux (metallurgy) is used when melting metals, like in smelting or soldering. It helps clean the metal surfaces and makes the molten metal flow more easily. This helps different pieces of metal join together strongly. It's like a cleaning agent and a helper for the metal to stick.

Flux in Our Minds

Sometimes, people talk about being in a state of flow (or flux) when they are completely focused on an activity.

• Flow (psychology) is a feeling where you are totally absorbed in what you are doing. Time seems to fly by, and you feel happy and energized. This happens when a task is challenging enough to keep you interested, but not so hard that you get frustrated. It's like being "in the zone" when playing a game or creating art.

Flux in Stories and Games

The idea of flux also appears in popular culture, often related to movement or change.

• Flux Capacitor is a famous fictional device from the movie Back to the Future. In the movie, this device is what "makes time travel possible." It's a fun example of how "flux" can be linked to powerful, transformative movement.
• Fluxx is a popular card game where the rules are constantly changing. This makes the game unpredictable and exciting, reflecting the idea of things being in a state of "flux" or constant change.
• Flux Wildly is a character from the old computer game Toonstruck. He's a cartoon character who helps the main hero.

Flux in Art

There was an art movement called Fluxus.

• Fluxus was a group of artists in the 1960s who liked to create art that was about everyday life and simple actions. They often did performances and made art that was meant to be experienced, not just looked at. They believed art should be open to change and not always be the same.