Fluid Kinematics

Streamlines, Pathlines, Streaklines

Streamlines: A streamline is a line that is everywhere tangent to the velocity field. If
the flow is steady, nothing at a fixed point (including the velocity direction) changes
with time, so the streamlines are fixed lines in space.

Streaklines: A streakline consists of all particles in a flow that have previously passed
through a common point.

Pathlines: A pathline is the line traced out by a given particle as it flows from one
point to another (Lagrangian concept)

Timeline: Time line is a set of fluid particles that form a line at a given instant.
Streamlines, Pathlines, Streaklines
Streamlines, Pathlines, Streaklines
For steady flow, streamlines, streaklines, and pathlines are the same.

The streamline is often used in analytical work, while the streakline and pathline are
often used in experimental work.

For unsteady flow there is no easy way to produce streamlines experimentally in the
laboratory. The observation of dye, smoke, or some other tracer injected into a flow
can provide useful information, but for unsteady flows it is not necessarily
information about the streamlines

If the flow is steady, the path taken by a marked particle (a pathline) will be the same
as the line formed by all other particles that previously passed through the point of
injection (a streakline). For such cases these lines are tangent to the velocity field.
Hence, pathlines, streamlines, and streaklines are the same for steady flows
Streamlines

A streamline is a line that is everywhere

tangent to the velocity field.

If the flow is steady, nothing at a fixed point

(including the velocity direction) changes with
time, so the streamlines are fixed lines in
space.

Streamlines are obtained analytically by

integrating the equations defining lines
tangent to the velocity field.
Acceleration Field
Acceleration is the time rate of change of velocity for a given particle.

Lagrangian Description following Individual Particles a=a(t)

Eulerian Description remaining fixed in space and observing different particles as

they pass by  acceleration field is defined as a function of position and time
without following any individual particle

For unsteady flows the velocity at a given point in space (occupied by different
particles) may vary with time, giving rise to a portion of the fluid acceleration. In
addition, a fluid particle may experience an acceleration because its velocity
changes as it flows from one point to another in space
Acceleration Field
Material Derivative
The material derivative is used to describe
time rates of change for a given particle.

chain rule of differentiation

Material Derivative

The material derivative is used to describe local convective

time rates of change for a given particle. derivative derivative

The time rate of change of temperature of a fluid particle as it moves

through this temperature field

Convective Derivative: The convective derivative is a result of the

spatial variation of the flow.

Local Derivative: The local derivative is a result of the

unsteadiness of the flow.
Material Derivative

local convective
derivative derivative

Convective Derivative
Involvement Local Derivative
Involvement
Problems
Problems
Problems