In physics, the Navier–Stokes equations named after Claude-Louis Navier and George

Gabriel Stokes, describe the motion of viscous fluid substances. These balance equations
arise from applying Newton's second law to fluid motion, together with the assumption
that the stress in the fluid is the sum of a diffusing viscous term (proportional to
the gradient of velocity) and a pressure term—hence describing viscous flow.

The solution of the Navier–Stokes equations is a flow velocity. It is a field, since it is

defined at every point in a region of space and an interval of time. Once the velocity field
is calculated other quantities of interest, such as pressure or temperature, may be found
using additional equations and relations. This is different from what one normally sees
in classical mechanics, where solutions are typically trajectories of position of
a particle or deflection of a continuum. Studying velocity instead of position makes more
sense for a fluid; however for visualization purposes one can compute
various trajectories.

The left side of the equation describes acceleration, and is composed of time-dependent
and convective components (also the effects of non-inertial coordinates, if present). The
right side of the equation is in effect a summation of body forces (such as gravity),
hydrostatic effects, and divergence of deviatoric stress.

These equations are always solved together with the continuity equation

The Navier-Stokes equations represent the conservation of momentum, while the

continuity equation represents the conservation of mass.
Applicability

Together with supplemental equations (for example, conservation of mass) and well
formulated boundary conditions, the Navier–Stokes equations models fluid motion
accurately; even turbulent flows seem (on average) to agree with real world observations.

The Navier–Stokes equations assume that the fluid being studied is a continuum (it is
infinitely divisible and not composed of particles such as atoms or molecules), and is not
moving at relativistic velocities. Under extreme conditions, real fluids made out of
discrete molecules will produce results different from the continuous fluids modeled by
the Navier–Stokes equations. For example, capillarity of internal layers in fluids appears
for flow with high gradients.
Another limitation is the complicated nature of the equations. Time-tested formulations
exist for common fluid families, but the application of the Navier–Stokes equations to
less common families tends to result in very complicated formulations. For this reason,
these equations are usually rewritten for Newtonian fluids where the viscosity model
is linear; truly general models for the flow of other kinds of fluids (such as blood) do not
exist.
The Navier–Stokes equations, even when written for specific fluids, are rather general in
nature and their proper application to specific problems can be very diverse. This is partly
because there is an enormous variety of problems that may be modeled, ranging from as
simple as the distribution of static pressure to as complicated as multiphase flow driven
by surface tension

The Continuity equation and the Navier-Stokes equation are the main equations of fluid
flow modeling. Solving them, for a particular set of boundary conditions (such as inlets,
outlets, and walls), predicts the fluid velocity and its pressure in a given geometry.
Because of their complexity, these equations only admit a limited number of analytical
solutions. It is relatively easy, for instance, to solve these equations for a flow between
two parallel plates or for the flow in a circular pipe. For more complex geometries,
however, the equations need to be solved.