Fluid



Liquids (or fluids) are a special type of block that can cause "liquid" to flow over the terrain forming rivers, or falls. Currently the two blocks of this type are water and lava.

Properties
Minecraft liquids can be placed like solid blocks, but cannot be picked up without a container, namely a bucket or a bottle.

When placed in open terrain liquid blocks are a source for a flow, unless they are confined by other blocks. A completely confined liquid will render as still.

Source blocks that are at least partly liberated will begin to flow, spreading according to the flowing fluid rules, and will render as flowing, with animated lines demonstrating their direction of flow.

A source block appears as being "full" nearly to the top of its containing blocks (if any) while flowing liquid blocks appear to be "emptier" the further they are from their source.

Liquids can interact with each other, and with other blocks they are placed next to, flow over top of, or past, according to the properties of the affected block.

Flowing liquids exert pressure on entities pushing them in the direction of the flow. Item drops that fall into a flowing liquid are carried along until they get caught in an eddy or the flow reaches its maximum extent. Most mobs are able to float in liquids, so they do not drown, but cannot swim upstream, which makes a liquid flowing into a dead end a useful mob trap.

Liquid blocks are non-solids in the same way that air is so placing a solid into a liquid block, source or flowing, will succeed if placement detects the side of a solid block through the liquid.

Depth
Liquid blocks have a depth value that measures how "empty" it is, with a source block having a depth value of 0, so it is full. Flowing liquids have a depth value equal to their source's depth + 1 with a maximum possible "emptiness" value of 7 where the flow stops. Thus a flowing block next to a source has depth value 1, the next further away 2 and so on till the flow stops. The rendering of liquids is controlled by their depth values both in the height of liquid level and the direction of flow displayed.

Lava in the Overworld has a maximum depth of 3, but in the Nether its maximum depth value is 7.

Spread
Once a source block is placed, the liquid spreading procedure begins.

First, the block directly below the liquid source is considered.
 * 1) If that block is air it is replaced by a flowing liquid block with a depth value of 1, and is added to the "list" of liquid blocks considered in the spreading process of this source. The spread will be the same if the block below is a type of non-solid block that is affected by the liquid. The block is (maybe) converted into a dropped [[item], and is then replaced as for an air block. The source block is removed from consideration for spreading since the only possible direction of flow from it is downwards.
 * 2) Otherwise the block below must be another source block of the same liquide, a Solid block, or one of a few non-solid blocks (I.E. Fence Posts), that are unaffected by liquids. In this event move to the next step.

For each open side of a liquid block the spreading procedure continues by considering the three blocks next to its neighbour. If any of these are air, or an affected, non-solid block, they are also converted to that liquid with a depth value one greater than their source, up to the maximum depth of 7. Then they too are added to the list of blocks to consider for further spreading.

Liquid flowing into a block where all four of the surrounding blocks are solid stops the spreading procedure. This is how one can create a lava or water column that does not spread on the ground.

Flowing liquid has a speed value that governs how fast the spreading effect takes place. Water in the Overworld and Lava in the Nether moves at the same speed of 1 block every 5 game ticks, or 4 blocks per second. However, Lava in the Overworld is much slower than water, and moves at only 1 block every 30 game ticks, or 2 blocks every 3 seconds.

Single source blocks floating in midair will always flow one block out to each side.

Flow direction


The shape of the ground around a flow is considered when evaluating its spread, giving preference to the creation of water/lava falls, for aesthetic purposes. During the evaluation of horizontal spread, the 5-block area around source and flowing blocks is checked for air one block below the liquid block. These air blocks, and the blocks preceding them, are all converted to liquid blocks with depth level of 1 greater than the current block to establish a simple flow, but are not added to the collection for later consideration.

For example, the flow of water from a single source placed within 7 blocks of an edge will be only one block wide to the edge, and then will fall as a one block wide stream, as demonstrated in the image to the right.

Dripping


When particles are fully enabled in the options menu, solid blocks that have air below and liquid above will drip, as a visual indication that only one layer of blocks separates the player from the liquid above. Dripping lava does not cause damage or start fires. It can take several seconds before dripping starts.

Block updates
These actions will cause a liquid block to update:
 * Another block is placed into its space
 * Liquid starts to flow in from an adjacent block
 * An established incoming flow stops

Generated structures never cause block updates to adjacent liquids when they generate. For example, a cave entrance that is created partly below water level at the edge of a body of water/lava will not cause the liquid to flow until it receives a block update. On the other hand, liquids created as part of structure will flow immediately if not completely confined; this includes holes in the bottom of an ocean that open into a ravine below.

Mixing
When the two liquids interact, the results vary depending on the position of the liquid source.


 * If lava flows vertically into water, the water turns into.
 * If lava flows horizontally into water, the lava turns into.
 * If water flows horizontally into flowing lava, a hiss and puff of smoke occurs, but nothing changes.
 * If water flows vertically into flowing lava, either or nothing may result.
 * If water flows into a lava source block, it creates . The lava spring is destroyed in the process, so unlike with cobblestone, obsidian is not renewable with this method.
 * If vertically falling water touches a lava source block on any side, is created - even if the water would not otherwise run into the lava.

Gallery
Kapalina Flüssigkeit (Begriffsklärung) Líquidos Fluides 液体 Vloeistoffen Ciecze Líquido Жидкости 液体