Study Guide for Basic Fluid Mechanics (Second Edition) - Softcover

Landry, Christopher P.; Wilcox, David C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0963605194 ISBN 13: 9780963605191

Publisher: D C W Industries, 1999

Synopsis

This is the Second Edition of a text that greatly enhances the utility of Basic Fluid Mechanics by David C. Wilcox. Study Guide for Basic Fluid Mechanics contains a collection of solved problems for all important concepts developed in the main text. Additionally, it is sufficiently general and self contained to be used with most undergraduate fluid-mechanics texts.

While Basic Fluid Mechanics includes examples for all key concepts, the number of worked problems has been held to a minimum to eliminate disruption of a continuous train of thought in presenting basic concepts. Preserving the focus in this manner is a key problem every author must address. This study guide contains 129 examples worked in complete detail to help students benefit from step-by-step solutions, while maintaining the integrity and readability of ``Basic Fluid Mechanics."

Another significant problem faced by an author in preparing a textbook for use in a classroom setting is deciding on the level of complexity of the examples embodied in the narrative. Usually, to permit complete solution of a problem in a typical class lecture, only the simplest geometries are considered. Basic Fluid Mechanics even rigs answers for many problems to be rational numbers, with an eye on emphasizing concepts rather than stressing operations on a hand-held calculator. While convenient for the classroom, real engineering problems usually involve much more complex examples than standard textbook problems. Even though Basic Fluid Mechanics has numerous complicated examples in the Problems sections, none are explicitly worked start to finish with comments indicating why certain steps are taken. This study guide has been created to fill this void.

Thus, Study Guide for Basic Fluid Mechanics is an illustrative-example book, while Basic Fluid Mechanics focuses on the theoretical development and explanation of fluid-mechanical principles. The study guide explains how to solve typical problems in fluid mechanics based on the theoretical concepts developed and discussed in the main text. It parallels the main text, chapter-by-chapter, presenting complete and explicit solutions to common types of fluid-flow problems. Each chapter begins with an overview of the types of problems included and a discussion of some of the most important details of general solution methodology. Often, there is a recurrent theme running through all of the solved problems, and the introductory comments identify such themes. On the one hand, as with a teacher's lecture notes, the study guide amplifies the most important concepts, leaving more subtle details to the main text. On the other hand, unlike a teacher's lecture notes, theoretical explanations are not covered here. Consequently, maximum value will be gained by first studying the material in the main text, and then examining the solved problems in the study guide.

Conscientious use of Basic Fluid Mechanics and Study Guide for Basic Fluid Mechanics will give the reader a solid foundation in the theoretical foundations of fluid mechanics from the text and a mastery of the consequent methodology used to solve typical fluid-flow problems from the study guide.

About this title

About the Author

Christopher P. Landry was born in Mineola, New York. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1992 and Master of Science degree in 1996, both in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California. From 1993 to 1998, he worked for the Northrop Grumman Corporation in Palmdale, California. In 1998 he began and is currently working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He has served as a consultant and associate editor for DCW Industries, Inc. since 1994. He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Gamma Tau honor societies.

Dr. David C. Wilcox, was born in Wilmington, Delaware. He did his undergraduate studies from 1963 to 1966 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics. From 1967 to 1970, he attended the California Institute of Technology, graduating with a Ph.D. in Aeronautics. Between 1966 and 1973 he worked for several Southern California aerospace companies. In 1973, he founded DCW Industries, Inc., a La Canada, California firm engaged in engineering research, software development and publishing, for which he is currently the President. He has taught several fluid mechanics and applied mathematics courses at the University of Southern California and at the University of California, Los Angeles. His publications include an undergraduate-level text Basic Fluid Mechanics, two graduate-level texts, Turbulence Modeling for CFD and Perturbation Methods in the Computer Age, and a political/philosophical manuscript entitled Cliches of Liberalism: Governing Through Insult, Confusion and Sound Bites. He is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and has served as an Associate Editor for the AIAA Journal.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 1 is intended to provide a overview of and introduction to fundamental concepts in fluid mechanics. Since the chapter serves mainly as an introduction to the field of fluid mechanics, including a discussion of mechanical and thermodynamic properties of fluids, the problems involve application of relatively simple equations. Perhaps the most important thing to observe in the solutions discussed in this chapter is the careful handling of units. To help avoid confusion, you should treat units the same as you would variables in an algebraic equation. The chapter includes the following problems.

Section 1.1 The Continuum Limit: A computation of the number of molecules in a small droplet.

Section 1.2 The Perfect-Gas Law: A simple problem using the perfect-gas law.

Section 1.3 Surface Tension: A surface-tension problem with a pressure difference supported by liquid-air interfaces.

Section 1.4 Couette Flow in Steady-State Motion I: The first of two steady-state Couette-flow problems---a simple tension calculation with a thin gap.

Section 1.5 Couette Flow in Steady-State Motion II: The second of two steady-state Couette-flow problems---another simple tension calculation.

Section 1.6 Couette Flow in Transient Motion: A Couette-flow application in which the boundary accelerates. The solution involves setting up the equation of motion for a two-mass system sliding on two oil films with different thicknesses.

Section 1.7 Pipe Flow: A Hagen-Poiseuille pipe-flow problem. Using known formulas, the solution involves determining the fluid viscosity from tables and then computing the maximum velocity and Reynolds number in a circular pipe.

Edition details

• Publisher: D C W Industries
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0963605194
• ISBN 13: 9780963605191
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 246