This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Readings

The following table lists assigned readings. Note that additional reading materials are listed at the study materials page.

[K&C] = Buy at Amazon Kundu, Pijush K., and Ira M. Cohen. Fluid Mechanics. 3rd ed. Burlington, MA: Elsevier, 2004. ISBN: 9780121782535.

[Fay] = Buy at Amazon Fay, James A. Introduction to Fluid Mechanics. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1994. ISBN: 9780262061650.

SES # TOPICS READINGS
1. The Continuum Viewpoint and the Equation of Motion
L1 Introduction: Continuum Hypothesis [K&C] Sections 1.1-1.6, 3.1-3.5, and 4.1-4.6.

[Fay] Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4, pp. 39-44, 89-97, and 128-132.

Review: [K&C] "Vector Calculus." Chapter 2.
L2 The Material Derivative

Lagrangian and Eulerian Descriptions

Thermophysical Properties

Compressibility Effects in Gases		  
T1 Tutorial Session  
L3 Forces Acting on a Continuum

The Inviscid Fluid		  
2. Static Fluids
L4 Static Fluids [K&C] Chapter 1 and sections 4.1-4.3.

[Fay] Chapter 2, pp. 44-75.

Note: There is little detail of hydrostatics in [K&C]; for a better in-depth review either see your own undergraduate text or the section of [Fay].
T2 Tutorial Session  
3. Mass Conservation in Flowing Media
L5 Mass Conservation in Flowing Media [K&C] Sections 3.6, 3.7, 3.13, and 4.1-4.3.

[Fay] Chapter 3
4. Inviscid Flow
L6 Steady Bernoulli Equation  
T3 Tutorial Session  
L7 Unsteady/Generalized Forms of the Bernoulli Equation  
5. Control Volume Theorems and Applications
L8 The Reynolds Transport Theorem [K&C] Chapter 4

Sonin, A. A. "Fundamental Laws of Motion for Particles, Material Volumes, and Control Volumes." (PDF - 1.5 MB)

Essential reading: This chapter is extremely detailed and you need to spend the time to go through it in some detail.
T4 Tutorial Session  
L9 Conservation of Mass/Energy/Entropy  
T5 Tutorial Session  
L10 Conservation of Linear Momentum

Examples of Conservation of Linear Momentum		  
T6 Tutorial Session  
  Quiz 1  
L11 Conservation of Angular Momentum  
T7 Tutorial Session  
6. Navier-Stokes Equation and Viscous Flow
L12 Kinematics of Deformation [K&C] Chapter 9
L13 The Navier-Stokes Equation

Boundary Conditions for Navier-Stokes Equations		  
T8 Tutorial Session  
L14 Fully Developed Flows, Stability of Viscous Flows  
L15 Start-up and Transient Flows Similarity Solution for a Flat Plate (The Rayleigh Problem)  
T9 Tutorial Session  
L16 Quasi-Fully Developed Flows: Lubrication Theory  
T10 Tutorial Session  
7. Dimensional Analysis
L17 The Buckingham Pi Theorem

Physical Significance of Dimensionless Variables		 [K&C] Chapter 8

Buckingham Pi Theorem (PDF)

Sonin, A. A. "Physical Basis of Dimensional Analysis." Manuscript handout.
T11 Tutorial Session  
L18 Asymptotic Limits of the Governing Equations and Scaling with Dimensionless Variables  
8. Potential Flow Theory
L19 The Velocity Potential and Streamfunction

Complex Variable Formulation		  
T12 Tutorial Session  
L20 Examples of Potential Flow Solutions  
  Quiz 2  
9. Boundary Layers, Separation and Drag
L21 Boundary Layer on a Flat Plate

Effect of a Pressure Gradient

Separation		  
T13 Tutorial Session  
10. Vorticity and Circulation
L22 Definition of Circulations

Kelvin's Circulation Theorems

Lift, Induced Drag		  
T14 Tutorial Session  
11. Surface Tension and its Importance
L23 Free Surface Force Balance

Scaling and Dimensional Analysis		  
L24 Sample Flows  
T15 Tutorial Session  
12. Turbulence (v. Brief Introduction)
L25 Mean and Fluctuating Quantities

Reynolds Stresses, Eddy Viscosity, Taylor Microscale

Homogeneous and Wall-Bounded Turbulence

Kolmogorov Energy Cascade		  
L26 Turbulence (Conclusions)

Course Review		  
  Final Exam