Chapter 8 - Differential equations

Abstract

D ifferential equations occur frequently in fluid mechanics. It is therefore important to study the mathematics of differential calculus and to understand the methods commonly used to solve differential equations. In this section, we will look at the two types of differential equations we will have to deal with: ordinary and partial differential equations. Luckily, for both cases we have a choice of methods which we can use in order to derive solutions. In general, solving ordinary differential equations is significantly simpler than solving partial differential equations. In this section we will study analytical techniques for solving differential equations using equations which we come across in fluid and engineering mechanics.