The Equation of Continuity and the Equation of Motion in Cartesian,

cylindrical, and spherical coordinates

CM3110 Fall 2011 Faith A. Morrison
Continuity Equation, Cartesian coordinates

t
+

v
x

x
+ v
y

y
+ v
z

v
x
x
+
v
y
y
+
v
z
z

= 0
Continuity Equation, cylindrical coordinates

t
+
1
r
(rv
r
)
r
+
1
r
(v

+
(v
z
)
z
= 0
Continuity Equation, spherical coordinates

t
+
1
r
2
(r
2
v
r
)
r
+
1
r sin
(v

sin )

+
1
r sin
(v

= 0
Equation of Motion for an incompressible uid, 3 components in Cartesian coordinates

v
x
t
+ v
x
v
x
x
+ v
y
v
x
y
+ v
z
v
x
z

=
P
x
+

xx
x
+

yx
y
+

zx
z

+ g
x

v
y
t
+ v
x
v
y
x
+ v
y
v
y
y
+ v
z
v
y
z

=
P
y
+

xy
x
+

yy
y
+

zy
z

+ g
y

v
z
t
+ v
x
v
z
x
+ v
y
v
z
y
+ v
z
v
z
z

=
P
z
+

xz
x
+

yz
y
+

zz
z

+ g
z
Equation of Motion for an incompressible uid, 3 components in cylindrical coordinates

v
r
t
+ v
r
v
r
r
+
v

r
v
r

v
2

r
+ v
z
v
r
z

=
P
r
+

1
r
(r
rr
)
r
+
1
r

r

r
+

zr
z

+ g
r

t
+ v
r
v

r
+
v

r
v

+
v

v
r
r
+ v
z
v

=
1
r
P

1
r
2
(r
2

r
)
r
+
1
r

+

z
z
+

r

r
r

+ g

v
z
t
+ v
r
v
z
r
+
v

r
v
z

+ v
z
v
z
z

=
P
z
+

1
r
(r
rz
)
r
+
1
r

z

+

zz
z

+ g
z
Equation of Motion for an incompressible uid, 3 components in spherical coordinates

v
r
t
+ v
r
v
r
r
+
v

r
v
r

+
v

r sin
v
r

v
2

+ v
2

=
P
r
+

1
r
2
(r
2

rr
)
r
+
1
r sin
(
r
sin )

+
1
r sin

r

+ g
r

t
+ v
r
v

r
+
v

r
v

+
v

r sin
v

+
v
r
v

r

v
2

cot
r

=
1
r
P

1
r
3
(r
3

r
)
r
+
1
r sin
(

sin )

+
1
r sin

+

r

r
r

cot
r

+ g

t
+ v
r
v

r
+
v

r
v

+
v

r sin
v

+
v
r
v

r
+
v

cot
r

=
1
r sin
P

1
r
3
(r
3

r
)
r
+
1
r sin
(

sin )

+
1
r sin

+

r

r
r
+

cot
r

+ g

Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian uid (Navier-Stokes equation) 3 components in Cartesian
coordinates

v
x
t
+ v
x
v
x
x
+ v
y
v
x
y
+ v
z
v
x
z

=
P
x
+

2
v
x
x
2
+

2
v
x
y
2
+

2
v
x
z
2

+ g
x

v
y
t
+ v
x
v
y
x
+ v
y
v
y
y
+ v
z
v
y
z

=
P
y
+

2
v
y
x
2
+

2
v
y
y
2
+

2
v
y
z
2

+ g
y

v
z
t
+ v
x
v
z
x
+ v
y
v
z
y
+ v
z
v
z
z

=
P
z
+

2
v
z
x
2
+

2
v
z
y
2
+

2
v
z
z
2

+ g
z
Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian uid (Navier-Stokes equation), 3 components in cylin-
drical coordinates

v
r
t
+ v
r
v
r
r
+
v

r
v
r

v
2

r
+ v
z
v
r
z

=
P
r
+

1
r
(rv
r
)
r

+
1
r
2

2
v
r

2

2
r
2
v

+

2
v
r
z
2

+ g
r

t
+ v
r
v

r
+
v

r
v

+
v
r
v

r
+ v
z
v

=
1
r
P

1
r
(rv

)
r

+
1
r
2

2
v

2
+
2
r
2
v
r

+

2
v

z
2

+ g

v
z
t
+ v
r
v
z
r
+
v

r
v
z

+ v
z
v
z
z

=
P
z
+

1
r

r
v
z
r

+
1
r
2

2
v
z

2
+

2
v
z
z
2

+ g
z
Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian uid (Navier-Stokes equation), 3 components in spherical
coordinates

v
r
t
+ v
r
v
r
r
+
v

r
v
r

+
v

r sin
v
r

v
2

+ v
2

=
P
r
+

1
r
2

r
2
v
r

+
1
r
2
sin

sin
v
r

+
1
r
2
sin
2

2
v
r

2
r
2
sin

(v

sin )
2
r
2
sin
v

+ g
r

t
+ v
r
v

r
+
v

r
v

+
v

r sin
v

+
v
r
v

r

v
2

cot
r

=
1
r
P

1
r
2

r
2
v

+
1
r
2

1
sin

(v

sin )

+
1
r
2
sin
2

2
v

2
+
2
r
2
v
r

2 cot
r
2
sin
v

+ g

t
+ v
r
v

r
+
v

r
v

+
v

r sin
v

+
v
r
v

r
+
v

cot
r

=
1
r sin
P

1
r
2

r
2
v

+
1
r
2

1
sin

(v

sin)

+
1
r
2
sin
2

2
v

2
+
2
r
2
sin
v
r

+
2 cot
r
2
sin
v

+ g

Note: the r-component of the Navier-Stokes equation in spherical coordinates may be simplied by adding 0 =
2
r
v to the component shown above. This term is zero due to the continuity equation (mass conservation). See
Bird et. al.
References:
1. R. B. Bird, W. E. Stewart, and E. N. Lightfoot, Transport Phenomena, 2
nd
edition, Wiley: NY, 2002.
2. R. B. Bird, R. C. Armstrong, and O. Hassager, Dynamics of Polymeric Fluids: Volume 1 Fluid Mechanics,
Wiley: NY, 1987.