MTH4360 Fluid dynamics
Faculty of Science
MTH4360 Fluid dynamics is a level 4, 6-credit-point, undergraduate and postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Science, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 1 other task
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before MTH4360
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After MTH4360
No unit lists MTH4360 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prohibition: MTH3360
You must be enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Mathematics or the Master of Mathematics
Overview
The continuum hypothesis; notion of a fluid particle; pathlines and streamlines. Eulerian and Lagrangian frameworks; the material derivative. Conservation of mass; incompressibility; streamfunctions. Forces acting on a fluid; the stress tensor; conservation of momentum; the constitutive relation; the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. Boundary conditions. Exact solutions of Navier-Stokes equations. Non-dimensionalization and dimensional analysis; Reynolds number. Low Reynolds number flows. Vorticity; circulation; Helmholtz' vorticity equation; properties of vorticity; Kelvin's circulation theorem. Lubrication theory. Inviscid flows; potential flows. Boundary layer equations and flows.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Continuous assessmentDemonstration50%
- Final assessment - Examination (3 hours and 10 minutes)Examination50%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Critically evaluate and synthesise the extensive scope and applications of fluid dynamics within the physical sciences, demonstrating an advanced understanding of its interdisciplinary relevance
- 2
Articulate and analyse the mathematical description of fluid motion, showcasing proficiency in formulating and interpreting fluid dynamics equations
- 3
Summarise and critically evaluate the derivation of the equations governing incompressible fluid motion, demonstrating a deep understanding of the underlying principles.
- 4
Apply the process of scaling to simplify the governing equations for both viscous and inertia dominated flows.
- 5
Apply the process of scaling to lubrication and boundary layer flows.
- 6
Solve the governing and reduced equations in simple situations and demonstrate and in-depth understanding of the physical implications of the solutions and their limitations
Workload and teaching
- Lectures24 hours
- Applied sessions36 hours
- Teaching approachOnline learning
- Teaching approachPeer assisted learning
- Teaching approachActive learning
2 hours of pre-recorded lectures;
One 3-hour applied class and
7 hours of independent study per week.
Lecture material will be delivered via pre-recorded videos.
In the applied classes, you will do a double-pass quiz (you will first complete the quiz alone and then in a pair/three) to check your understanding of the lecture material. You will then work on a problem sheet in a group of three/four students at a whiteboard.
You will work through problems as a group
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Anja Slim
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Anja Slim
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MTH4360?
MTH4360 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is MTH4360 offered?
In 2025, MTH4360 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
Does MTH4360 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 1 other task.