Fields, Flows and Waves: An Introduction to Continuum Models

Abstract

"Designed for second-year undergraduate students in mathematics, mathematical physics, and engineering, this book presumes only a limited familiarity with several variable calculus and vector fields. It develops the concepts of flux, conservation law and boundary value problem through simple examples of heat flow, electric potentials and gravitational fields. The ideas are developed through worked examples, and a range of exercises (with solutions) is provided to test understanding."--Jacket. The continuum description -- Unsteady heat flow -- Fields and potentials -- Laplace's equation and Poisson's equation -- Motion of an elastic string -- Fluid flow -- Elastic deformations -- Vibrations and waves -- Electromagnetic waves and light -- Chemical and biological models.