Introduction Complexities of Scales in Time and Space

The general equations of change given in the previous chapter show that the property flux vectors P, q, and s depend on the nonequi-lihrium behavior of the lower-order distribution functions g(r, R, t), f2(r, rf, p, p, t), and fi(r, P, t). These functions are, in turn, obtained from solutions to the reduced Liouville equation (RLE) given in Chap. 3. Unfortunately, this equation is difficult to solve without a significant number of approximations. On the other hand, these approximate solutions have led to the theoretical basis of the so-called phenomenological laws, such as Newton s law of viscosity, Fourier s law of heat conduction, and Boltzmann s entropy generation, and have consequently provided a firm molecular, theoretical basis for such well-known equations as the Navier-Stokes equation in fluid mechanics, Laplace s equation in heat transfer, and the second law of thermodynamics, respectively. Furthermore, theoretical expressions to quantitatively predict fluid transport properties, such as the coefficient of viscosity and thermal 

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Before proceeding, we note that the methodologies and tools developed in this chapter can be quite powerful and have been proven to be extremely useful in the study of all types of problems in science and engineering. Successful scientists and engineers have mastered scaling analysis as a means to reduce highly complex problems to more manageable forms. (See Interlude 6.1.) 

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