Fluid dynamics

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

Recitations: 1 session / week, 1 hour / session

2.01 Elements of Structure

This class provides students with an introduction to principal concepts and methods of fluid mechanics. Topics covered in the course include pressure, hydrostatics, and buoyancy; open systems and control volume analysis; mass conservation and momentum conservation for moving fluids; viscous fluid flows, flow through pipes; dimensional analysis; boundary layers, and lift and drag on objects. Students will work to formulate the models necessary to study, analyze, and design fluid systems through the application of these concepts, and to develop the problem-solving skills essential to good engineering practice of fluid mechanics in practical applications.

Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate a familiarity and ability to work on fluid mechanics. These outcomes will be demonstrated through an assessment of homework assignments and two quizzes.

This class is part of the Course 2-A curriculum for students whose academic and career goals demand greater breadth and flexibility than are allowed under the mechanical engineering program, Course 2. It is a half-term class.

White, Frank M. Fluid Mechanics. 7th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN: 9780077422417.

Your standing among your peers will be determined using the weighting above. The letter grades are assigned such that students with similar grade points have the same letter grade. Students are often under the mistaken impression that having grades comparable to the class average guarantees a good grade. What constitutes the grade assigned to the "class average" is a judgment made by the faculty at the end of the term. If the perception of the faculty is that the class as a whole has done very well and understands the material discussed, a high grade will be assigned to the class average. If the class as a whole has shown weak performance, a low grade will be assigned to the class average.

Your final grade will be assigned by considering your standing in the class, inputs from the TA's and the faculty. It is of value to you to make an impression on the faculty. Fading into the background is not in your best interest. There are other factors that are assessed in assigning grades. For example: a poor quiz grade showing early in the term with a strong increasing trend with each subsequent homework, quiz and into the final may be more favorably assessed than the reverse trend.

Your quizzes will be examined by the teaching staff to ensure that your ultimate grade reflects your performance.

Students in the MIT class who have questions about the homework or other administrative issues may post them on the class forum or contact the teaching staff by other means. By posting questions on the forum, the entire class can benefit from the answers. The staff plans to check the forum during the week. (We also plan to monitor it on weekends, but we may not respond as quickly on those days.) If you email the staff with questions that should be answered on the forum, we will likely request that you post the question on the forum first, and then we will answer your questions there so that everyone can benefit.

Note: The class forum is not available to OCW users.

You have joined a community of scholars at MIT. In joining that community, you have inherently assented to embracing the values of that community. Among those values is a commitment to honesty with yourself, your peers and your faculty. Further discussion and links on these issues can be found at the mechanical engineering department's Ethics & Integrity webpage.

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