Ideal gases and Vector calculus

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the properties of ideal gases and their relation to ideal fluids, particularly focusing on irrotational flow and its mathematical definition involving curl. Participants clarify that while ideal gases are compressible, ideal fluids are defined as incompressible, leading to some confusion about their equivalence. The conversation highlights that irrotational flow implies no curl, which is consistent with the properties of ideal fluids. There is a consensus that the definitions of ideal gases and ideal fluids differ, despite both being categorized as fluids. Overall, the distinction between ideal gases and ideal fluids is crucial for understanding their respective properties in physics.
bjon-07
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In my physics book, the 4 properties of an ideal gase are

1. nonviscous
2. steady flow (laminar)
3. incompressible
4. irrotational


My question is the properties of being irrotional the same as the vector functions that have a Curl=O iff irrotational

My physics book states the irrotional functions have no angular momentum, but my caclulus book does not give a physical defention of an irrotional function, only a mathmatical defention.

So am I right to aqquate the two defentions to gether
 
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bjon07,

This sounds more like the definition of an ideal fluid, than an ideal gas.

But your guess seems right to me. Incompressiblity implies that the flow has no divergence, so irrotational probably means no curl.

But if this is important you should wait until somebody who knows something about fluids has a chance to answer. I don't know much about them; I'm just guessing. ;-)
 
Oppss, hehe I meant Ideal fluid
 
1.An ideal gas IS AN IDEAL FLUID.

2.Incompressible,means the density constant,by the law of mass conservation,the divergence of the convective velocity field is zero.

3.Irrotational means that the curl of the convective velocity field is zero.

4.Nonviscous means no friction between neighboring fluid layers.The viscosity tensor is identically zero.The kinetic tension tensor is diagonal and has one independent component,the negative of hydrostatic pressure.

Daniel.
 
I thought most gase where compressable, pv=nrt...v can be compressed
 
Well, there is an apparent discrepancy here, how can an ideal gas be an ideal fluid when an ideal gas can be compressed, yet an ideal fluid, by definition is incompressible.

To the OP, some spelling suggestions;

gas, not gase
irrotational, not irrotional
calculus, not caclulus
definition, not defention
mathematical, not mathmatical
equate, not aqquate
together, not to gether

Please take the time to check your spelling, it can get frustrating for those who are trying to answer your question.

Claude.
 
bjon-07 said:
I thought most gase where compressable, pv=nrt...v can be compressed

It's just a semantic thing. Gases are considered to be fluids (along with liquids). What you're describing at the top is an ideal incompressible fluid. You're right that ideal gases are not incompressible.
 
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