Elements of Fluid Mechanics

by David C. Wilcox

Elements of Fluid Mechanics is the fourth engineering book by Dr. Wilcox, and is based upon his more than 25 years of teaching beginning, intermediate and graduate courses in fluid mechanics at USC and UCLA. The book provides an understandable, one-semester, introduction to fluid mechanics. While maintaining a commitment to mathematical rigor throughout, the text continually emphasizes the physics of fluid motion. Mathematical results are repeatedly reinforced and verified by appealing to physical arguments. By design, the book uses only the most basic elements of vector calculus. Nevertheless, the book is designed to counter the dumbing-down fad favored by the major book publishing companies. This book rejects the modern, watered-down approach that (in at least one modern text) apologizes for the need to use concepts from freshman calculus and (in most cases) emphasizes everything but the basics of fluid motion. Consistent with its theme of emulating the golden-age of fluid mechanics, even the graphics have been done in a format typical of the 1960s and 1970s.

570 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2005