We derive the Euler momentum equation for an inviscid fluid by applying Newton's second law to a moving (material) fluid parcel and using the Reynolds transport theorem to relate integrals over a material volume to local fields. (The exam's wording mentions a "fixed control volume (fluid parcel)"; here we use a material volume that moves with the fluid — i.e. the standard derivation.)
Let
be the mass density and
the velocity field. Newton's second law for the material volume
(a fluid parcel) states
For an inviscid fluid the only surface force is pressure, so
where
is the outward unit normal on
. Thus
Apply the divergence theorem to the surface integral:
Now use the Reynolds transport theorem (RTT) for a material volume :
This is the conservative form of the momentum equation. We can expand the left-hand side using the continuity equation
Finally, for an incompressible fluid of constant density const, divide by
to obtain Euler's momentum equation in its familiar form