Fluid Mechanics: Volume 4: Lectures on Theoretical Physics - Softcover

Tong, David

This title will be released on July 31, 2025

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1009594699 ISBN 13: 9781009594691

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2025

Synopsis

Take anything in the universe, put it in a box, and heat it up. Regardless of what you start with, the motion of the substance will be described by the equations of fluid mechanics. This remarkable universality is the reason why fluid mechanics is important. The key equation of fluid mechanics is the Navier-Stokes equation. This textbook starts with the basics of fluid flows, building to the Navier-Stokes equation while explaining the physics behind the various terms and exploring the astonishingly rich landscape of solutions. The book then progresses to more advanced topics, including waves, fluid instabilities, and turbulence, before concluding by turning inwards and describing the atomic constituents of fluids. It introduces ideas of kinetic theory, including the Boltzmann equation, to explain why the collective motion of 1023 atoms is, under the right circumstances, always governed by the laws of fluid mechanics.

About this title

About the Author

David Tong is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Trinity College. He is known for his contributions to quantum field theory and its application to diverse areas of physics, including particle physics, condensed matter, cosmology, and quantum gravity. His lecture notes on theoretical physics have gained a global following due to their clear explanations and easy-going, accessible style.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1009594699
• ISBN 13: 9781009594691
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400