Home▸Fluid Dynamics & Aerodynamics▸Stokes Flow: Creeping-Flow Lab, Reversibility & the Scallop Theorem (2D)

Stokes Flow: Creeping-Flow Lab, Reversibility & the Scallop Theorem (2D)

2D Stokes-flow lab: the exact closed-form Stokeslet solution advects tracers past a sphere, a Couette cell demonstrates exact reversibility of dye blobs, and a two-link swimmer's shape-space loop area shows why reciprocal strokes cannot swim at low Reynolds number.

Fluid Dynamics & Aerodynamics2DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

Details

CategoryFluid Dynamics & Aerodynamics

RenderingCanvas 2D

DifficultyAdvanced

Target FPS60

ControlsPick Field, Reversibility or Swimmer mode; drag the Reynolds number, flow speed and sphere-radius sliders (and tracer count in field mode) to reshape the physics, then use the mode-specific stroke/direction buttons, Reset and Pause to explore.

stokes flowcreeping flowlow reynolds numberreversibilityscallop theoremviscous drag

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This 2D companion drives the same exact Stokeslet solution as the 3D version through a plain canvas view: drag the Reynolds number, flow speed and sphere-radius sliders to re-shape the creeping-flow field around a sphere, switch to the reversibility demo to shear and un-shear three dye blobs in a Couette cell, or watch a two-link swimmer's shape-space loop area determine whether a reciprocal stroke can generate any net motion — with a live Stokes-drag and settling-velocity readout tying the sliders to real physical quantities.

⚙ Under the hood

2D Stokes-flow lab with the exact closed-form Stokeslet solution, an invertible Couette-shear reversibility demo, and a two-link swimmer whose shape-space loop area determines net thrust — plus live Stokes-drag and settling-velocity readouts.

stokes flowcreeping flowlow reynolds numberreversibilityscallop theoremviscous drag

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install