FLUID MECHANICS (PHYS 415)

BASIC LINKS

Syllabus: (PDF)

Email Dr. Larsen

Dr. Larsen's Main Page

FLUID MECHANICS

- WELCOME! -

This is the web-page for Fluid Mechanics. If you're on this webpage, it is probably reasonable to figure that you are likely enrolled in the class -- so thanks for signing up. Materials on this webpage are meant to supplement information given to you in class itself. I'm not a big fan of OAKS, therefore any on-line supplementary material for the course you need can be found here. To the left, you'll find important links/syllabi/etc.

If you'd like to find out more about me or the research we do in my lab, check out my main webpage.

- About This Course -

This course presents a comprehensive introduction to the Physics of Fluids. In particular, we're going to be limiting our study to fluids where quantum mechanical and relativistic effects can be neglected. Further, since this course does not have PHYS 409 as a prerequisite, we will also neglect fluid flows where electrodynamic forces play a substantial role (e.g. magnetohydrodynamics) -- that stuff is probably beyond the level of what we want to cover in this introduction, anyway.

This is my first time teaching this course and I come to this content from a significantly different background than the other person who has taught this course in recent years (Dr. Fragile). I have a plan as far as what I think we'll cover but I fully expect that plan to change significantly as we progress through the semester.

The content will be presented at an advanced undergraduate level (after all, this is a 400-level course and has substantial mathematical prerequisites). It is assumed that you know how to succeed in upper-level Physics classes. In particular, please READ THE ASSOCIATED PARTS OF THE TEXTBOOK BEFORE CLASS SO THAT YOU HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE LECTURE CONTENT IN CLASS! This stuff isn't easy and the first few times you'll be exposed to the content will be confusing -- it is better if that happens before the lecture so that you can ask intelligible questions during class, rather than walking out of class each day dazed and confused. I will do my level best to keep you informed about the next topics we will be covering.

The workload in this course will likely be intense. We are covering a lot of unfamiliar material. I know you may have to spend a large fraction of your time on this course. I'm sorry about that, but I'll do everything I possibly can to help you. If you are lost, ask for help!

Please see the syllabus for additional information.

- Course Announcements -

ANTICIPATED EXAM DATES:

MIDTERM EXAM: Thursday, February 28th, 2019 from 12:15-1:30 PM in RITA 363.
FINAL EXAM: Thursday, April 25th, 2019 from 12-3 PM in RITA 363.

- Homework Assignments -

-- (NOTE: all due dates are considered tentative until homework assignment is uploaded) --

Assignment 1(PDF) (due date: 1/10/19; don't use technology/calculators or consult your classmates)
Assignment 2(PDF) (due date: 1/17/19)
Assignment 3(PDF) (due date: 1/24/19)
Assignment 4(PDF) (due date: 1/31/19)
Assignment 5(PDF) (due date: 2/7/19)
Assignment 6(PDF) (due date: 2/14/19)
Assignment 7(PDF) (due date: 2/21/19)
Assignment 8(PDF) (due date: 3/14/19)
Assignment 9(PDF) (due date: 3/28/19)
Assignment 10(PDF) (due date: 4/4/19)
Assignment 11(PDF) (due date: 4/11/19)
Assignment 12(PDF) (due date: 4/18/19)

- Links/Resources -

List of Suggested Fluids Texts (PDF) On the first day of class, you'll get a handout of these alternative texts you may want to consult to help you progress through this course. I might even steal some problems out of them as homework assignments! Worth at least looking at a few of these -- especially if you don't like your main text -- just to see if any of these cover the content in a way that's more friendly for you.
National Committee for Fluid Mechanics Films Website A lot of fluids content is better communicated through visualization and demonstration. These films are classics. In fact, as an upper-level undergraduate student, I took an entire 1-credit course devoted to just watching these and making sense out of what we were seeing. I plan to use these heavily; watching them when you have some spare time might not be a bad idea.

updated: 7 April 2019