This textbook presents essential methodology for physicists of the theory and applications of fluid mechanics within a single volume.  Building steadily through a syllabus, it will be relevant to almost all undergraduate physics degrees which include an option on hydrodynamics, or a course in which hydrodynamics figures prominently.

Geoffrey Pert's first academic appointment was in 1967 at the University of Alberta in the Electrical Engineering Dept as an Assistant Professor. In 1970 he was appointed as a lecturer in Applied Physics at Hull and proceeded up the scale to Professor in 1981. At Hull he taught Dimensional Analysis, Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer at different levels, amongst other material. In 1987 he transferred to York Physics Dept. as a Professor where he has taught Dimensional Analysis and Fluid Dynamics, and currently teach the course in fluid dynamics. His research began in 1962 on shock waves, but, when he joined Hull University, he moved into the field of laser produced plasmas. His work in this field has used fluid dynamics, particularly computational methods and he was elected FRS for this work in 1995.Geoffrey Pert has taught fluid mechanics to undergraduate and postgraduate physicists for approximately 35 years.

Preface xvii

1 Introduction 1

2 Flow of Ideal Fluids 25

3 Viscous Fluids 75

4 Waves and Instabilities in Fluids 93

5 Turbulent Flow 117

6 Boundary Layer Flow 139

7 Convective Heat Transfer 175

8 Compressible Flow and Sound Waves 209

9 Characteristics and Rarefactions 219

10 Shock Waves 241

11 Aerofoils in Low-Speed Incompressible Flow 295

12 Aerofoils in High-Speed Compressible Fluid Flow 341

13 Deflagrations and Detonations 363

14 Self-similar Methods in Compressible Gas Flow and Intermediate Asymptotics 383

Problems 417

Solutions 427

Bibliography 455

Index 463