Vorticity & Circulation

Inside this lesson

Define vorticity as the curl of the velocity field and compute it for a 2D field
Distinguish rotational from irrotational flow
Contrast a forced (solid-body) vortex with a free (irrotational) vortex
Define circulation and relate it to vorticity via Stokes' theorem

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Educational content covering topics typical of a first- and second-year mechanical engineering curriculum. Not a substitute for accredited coursework, and not suitable for real fluid-system design without review by a licensed professional engineer.