VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

HOMEWORK 1

a
Prove the following vectorial identities:
• ∇ × ∇P = 0

• ∇ · (P v) = P∇ · v + v · ∇P

• ∇ · (u × v) = v · (∇ × u) − u · (∇ × v)

• ∇ × (v × u) = v(∇ · u) + (u · ∇)v − u(∇ · v) − (v · ∇)u

b
Given the velocity vector v(x) = vx i + vy j + vz k and two scalar field φ(x) and θ((x)), write
the following quantities in cartesian coordinates:
• v = ∇φ

• θ =∇·v

• an equation that links φ(x) and θ(x).

c
The fluid velocity is given by

v = u0 exp[−at] i b x + j c y 2


. (1)

Find the fluid acceleration Dv/Dt as a function of a, b, c and u0 .

d
An airplane travels at a velocity v given by:

v = vx i + vy j + vz k

with vx = 150 mph, vy = 10 mph, vz = −10 mph. The air density in the atmosphere
varies as
ρ = ρ0 [1 + a(x2 + y 2 ) + exp(−bz)]
with ρ0 = 0.075 lb/f t3 , a = 1 · 10−5 /f t2 , b = 1 · 10−4 /f t. If the initial position of the
airplane is x = 0, y = 0, z = 15000 f t, find the atmospheric air density measured by the
on board instruments as a function of time.

1
e
Consider Fig. 1. An ideal dam is used to block the passage of a river having depth H and
width W (along the y direction, not shown in Fig. 1). Find the resulting force and the
torque acting on the dam due to the hydrostatic distribution of pressure.

Figura 1: Sketch of the ideal dam (problem e).