Past exam of the theoretical mechanics course of the University of Oxford / 2010 / B / 4 / a

The material derivative $\boxed{D/Dt={\partial }_t+\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla }$ measures change while following a moving gas parcel. The four equations respectively express mass conservation, momentum conservation, internal-energy balance, and the ideal gas law. The first accounts for density change under expansion or compression. The second is Newton's law with pressure as the only force. In the third the specific internal energy is $c_{v}T$ and pressure work $-p\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}$ heats compression and cools expansion. The fourth relates thermodynamic pressure, density and temperature; $R$ is the gas constant per unit mass.

Continuity gives $D\log \rho /Dt=-\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}$. Using $p=\rho RT$, the temperature equation gives $D\log T/Dt=-(R/c_v)\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}$. ThereforeConsequentlyEach smooth parcel evolves isentropically under these adiabatic inviscid equations; the argument does not cover entropy-producing shocks.

Conservation of the parcel's entropy makes $p/{\rho }^{\gamma }$ constant along its trajectory. Its initial value is $p_0/{\rho }_0^{\gamma }$, soThis is a relation following the specified parcel; parcels with different initial entropy can have different constants.