An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics (Paperback)

by G. K. Batchelor (Author), G.K. Batchelor (Author) "The defining property of fluids, embracing both liquids and gases, lies in the ease with which they may be deformed..." (more)
Key Phrases: external stream velocity, irrotational velocity distribution, irrotational solenoidal flow, Cambridge University Press, Academic Press, Oxford University Press (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"The explanation is careful, the style is pellucid and the diversity, excitement and beauty of the subject are made manifest to the reader." Nature --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
'This book gives an excellent introduction to fluid dynamics ... many interesting and important photographs of fluid flows are included in order to help the students who do not have an opportunity of observing flow phenomena in a laboratory. The book also contains exercises at the end of each chapter. In comparison with many currently available books, I find this book by Batchelor especially stimulating and useful for students of applied mathematics and engineering.' L. Debnath, Zentralblatt MATH

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Product Details

• Paperback: 635 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521663962
• ISBN-13: 978-0521663960
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #94,727 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Batchelor - Classic Fluid Mechanics Text, April 6, 2000

By A Customer

This classic text outlines the fundamental theory of fluid mechanics. It is an excellent source for careful and exhaustive derivations of the fundamental equations and physical discussions of basic problems. It is NOT a user's guide nor an introductory text.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic in Fluid mechanics, September 24, 2001

By	Min Young Yi "tao" (Pohang, Korea(ROK)) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

G.K.Batchelor was regarded as the leading figure in fluid mechanics from 1950 ~ 2000. He was a founder of AMTP(Applied mathmatics and theoretical physics) group in Cambridge Univ. and also a founder of 'Jounal of Fluid Mechanics', a leading and top class journal in the field of fluid mechanics. Also was a favorite student of G.I.Taylor.

I think this volume is a bridge between the old classic(ex. H. Lamb's Hydrodynamics) and today's many texts for fluid mechanics somewhat biased to applications and computations.

It deals with all branches of fluid mechanics except Gas dynamics, free convection, lubrication theory, magnetohydrodynamics and hydrodynamics stability. The first three chapters summarise basic concepts in thermo & fluid mechanics and trasport phenomena. I think chapter 1,2,3 are very severe and deep. And there are collections of important photos of fluid phenomena.(You can also refer M. Van Dyke's 'An album of fluid motion)

Although the title is 'An introduction to...' it's not an introductory level, and the mathematics it deals are somewhat omitted. I think this text is an advance graduate level.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars To the Berkeley graduate student below, December 20, 2002

By A Customer

Although I do think that the book is over-rated, your critique is unfair. First, the book is not too advanced. Similar materials are used to teach university students in their 3rd or 4th year of studies, sometimes even earlier, in many countries. If you are not able to grasp the basic, how are you going to read the current papers in journals? How are you going to contribute new knowledge? It's better to start early with a young mind. Then, it is not a reference book (I don't need to say more in this). Also, you may be in the wrong course, or your professor suggested an unsuitable, but not necessarily bad, book for reading. The book was written with applied mathematics (you can surf around the net and see what applied mathematics means in the UK) courses in mind. You may find Lighthill's 'An informal introduction to theoretical fluid mechanics' or Tritton's 'Physical fluid dynamics' or Faber's 'Fluid dynamics for physicists' useful. Finally, I have confidence in the ability of a Berkeley student. You maybe smart, but you need to work hard too, very hard!