New Reply

Interesting question on Lagrangian specification

 
Share Thread Thread Tools
Jun15-12, 07:43 AM   #1
 

Interesting question on Lagrangian specification


Okay, so I've recently been reading through C. Pozrikdis' Introduction to Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics, and came across an interesting exercise: "Discuss whether it is possible to label all point particles within a finite three-dimensional parcel using a single scalar variable, or even two scalar variables."

Now, mathematically speaking, it should be possible-- the set that contains the volume of a fluid should have an uncountably infinite number of points, but its cardinality should be the same as, say, the unit interval. Therefore, it should be possible to create a mapping from the scalar quantity to the region of space, and should be sufficient (though perhaps impractical) for a Lagrangian coordinates. Does this seem like a valid argument, though?

An argument against this that was posed is that that mapping is not necessarily continuous, but does this condition have to be met?
PhysOrg.com
PhysOrg
physics news on PhysOrg.com

>> As chaos celebrates its 50th birthday, biophysicist develops a new method to visualize it
>> Novel features of helium-3 superfluidity discovered with new SQUID detector chip
>> Physics of 'green waves' could make city traffic flow more smoothly
New Reply
Thread Tools


Similar Threads for: Interesting question on Lagrangian specification
Thread Forum Replies
Pull up bar specification General Engineering 15
12VDC motor specification question *Need Help!* General Engineering 3
looking for Lagrangian Systems with Higher Order Time Derivatives in the Lagrangian Special & General Relativity 1
Electric Motor Specification Mechanical Engineering 1
Connecting wire specification Electrical Engineering 10