When a fluid is in motion, it must move in such a way that mass is conserved. To see how mass conservation places restrictions on the velocity field, consider the steady flow of fluid through a duct ...

points 1 and 2 lie on a streamline, the fluid has constant density, the flow is steady, and there is no friction. Although these restrictions sound severe, the Bernoulli equation is very useful, ...

Tests of a proposed friction-factor equation have shown it to be accurate for calculating pressure loss in turbulent flow for a pipeline transporting a non-Newtonian fluid, such as most crude oils and ...

Scientific progress is not usually straightforward. Researchers pursue and abandon lines of inquiry. Results languish. Theories take decades to cohere. But sometimes the accumulation of scientific ...

For more than 250 years, mathematicians have wondered if the Euler equations might sometimes fail to describe a fluid’s flow. A new computer-assisted proof marks a major breakthrough in that quest.

The following is an extract from our Lost in Space-Time newsletter. Each month, we hand over the keyboard to a physicist or mathematician to tell you about fascinating ideas from their corner of the ...