Discovering Stokes Law to Understanding its Origins and Applicability

[Don Carnage]

Hi -
Is it possible to derive Stokes law or is it an emprirical law.?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokes'_law
I was thinking of using the Navier-Stokes equations but i don't want to start out
if it impossible..
Thx.

 

[dst]

by solving the small fluid-mass limit of the generally unsolvable Navier-Stokes equations

There's your answer.

 

[stewartcs]

Hi -
Is it possible to derive Stokes law or is it an emprirical law.?

You can derive it.

 

[Don Carnage]

So can I derive it analytical or do I have to use numeric methods alias finite element..?
Well I will try to do some calc tomorrow.. shouldn't be that hard.. thx

 

[tony_swann]

Yes it is possible to derive Stokes law analytically but you have to work a bit intuitively to get the the appropriate velocity profile equations. This seems to include invoking Occam's razor to justify applying a zero valued coefficient to the squared terms in the V.P. equations.
Cheers,
T.S.