ME651: FLUID DYNAMICS (Spring 2018-2019)

Instructor: Prof. Avishek Ranjan, ME department, IITB

Assignment 1 (Due Date: 18-01-2019)

Try your best to solve all the questions on your own. You may consult class notes, text books and,
only if needed, discuss the problems with your class mates. No copying please!

1. If and are two arbitrary vectors with magnitudes u and v, show that
where, is the angle between and .
2. If a is a positive constant and b is a constant vector, determine the divergence and the
curl of
(a) and (b) where
3. For a function , show that the gradient is normal to
the tangent at any point
4. For three spatial dimensions, rewrite the following expressions in index notation and
evaluate or simplify them using the values or parameters given, and the definitions of
 ij and  ijk wherever possible. In parts b) through e) , is the position vector, with
components xi .
(a) where b = (1, 4, 17) and c = (-4, -3, 1).
(b) where is a vector with components ui
(c) where and is a constant vector with components hi
(d) where and Ω is a constant vector with components Ωi

(e) where the double-overbar here denotes a tensor

5. The components (u,v,w) of vector ui satisfy the following six equations, where C and D
are scalar constants:
uu  2C  3D uv  2C
vv  2C  3D uw  2C
ww  2C  3D vw  2C

If these are components of a symmetric tensor Aij then rewrite these equations as a
single tensor equation for Aij in terms of C, D.
6. Show by using i, j = (1, 2, 3) or otherwise, that for any second order tensor,
Aij ,  Ajn ij  Ain  where  ij is the Kronecker delta function.

7. A very interesting property of  ij is that it is an isotropic tensor. This means that its
components are unchanged by rotation of axes. In other words,
1 0 0 
 ij   0 1 0  , for any arbitrary axes orientation! Let’s verify this for a specific case,
 0 0 1
 
namely rotation of 60 about the x3 axis,
(a) Find the direction cosine matrix Cij for this rotation.
(b) Also verify that after the co-ordinate rotation,  ij'   ij .

8. Show that the necessary condition for the vectors a, b, and c to be coplanar is

 ijk aib j ck  0

Why is this a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition? Please include a sketch
to support your arguments. [Hint: first rewrite the tensor notation equation into vector
notation form. Then make arguments based on the definitions of dot and cross product,
and right-hand rule. You are free to use any other method!]

9. The gradient operator in Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) is given by:

, where are the unit vectors. In cylindrical

polar coordinates (R, φ, z) having the same origin, we have ,

and . Determine the following in cylindrical

coordinates:

(a) the derivatives of the unit vectors, that are , , and

(b) the gradient operator, (b) the divergence of a vector, u , that is,
Compare your answers with the corresponding quantities in Cartesian coordinates.

10. For the flow field where and are the constant linear and angular
velocity vectors, respectively. Use Cartesian coordinates to a) find the strain rate tensor,
Sij and b) rotation tensor, Ωij .

11. Prove the following relationships: ijij  3,  pqr pqr  6, and  pqi pqj  2ij .
12. Consider the following steady Cartesian velocity field

a) Determine the streamline that passes through x   x0 , y0 ,0 

b) Compute Ωij for this velocity field.

c) For A  0 , explain the sense of rotation (i.e., clockwise or counterclockwise) for fluid
elements for   1,   1,and   1.

13. Write the vector

in tensor (index) notation and show that it represents the acceleration of the fluid particle.
represents the vorticity.

14. A flow field on the x-y plane has the velocity components: ux = 3x + y; uy = 2x – 3y.
Show that the circulation around the circle (x – 1)2 + (y – 6)2 = 4 is 4π. Circulation is
given by the equation: