Why is the continuity equation called the continuity equation?

[Repetit]

Most of you are probably familiar with the continuity equation, but what does the term "continuity" mean? I mean, what is continuous in the context of the continuity eq.?

Just wondering...

 

[gabee]

"Continuity" is similar in this sense to "conservation." Since the continuity equation (I'm guessing you're talking about the one in fluid dynamics) models an incompressible fluid, a certain volume of fluid must pass a section of a pipe in the same time everywhere in the pipe. You can see this from the units of each side of the equation: $m^3/s$, or "volume per unit time" (the flow rate) is always the same everywhere in the pipe.