Introduction to Fluid Dynamics

(4 Credits)

Prerequisite: A grade of C or higher in Calculus III ( MATH-UA 123 ) or Math for Economics III (MATH-UA 213) (for economics majors). Recommended: Mathematical Physics ( PHYS-UA 106 ). Fluid dynamics is the branch of physics that can describe the flow of blood in the human body, the flight of an insect, or the motions of weather systems. Key concepts include: the formalism of continuum mechanics; the conservation of mass, energy, and momentum in a fluid; the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations; and viscosity and vorticity. These concepts are applied to such classic problems in fluid dynamics as potential flow around a cylinder, the propagation of sound and gravity waves, and the onset of instability in shear flow.