Fluid Flow for the Rest of Us: Tutorial of the Marker and Cell Method in Computer Graphics

Understanding how fluid is modeled for computer graphics can be a challenge. This is especially true for students who have not taken courses in vector calculus and differential equations, or are rusty in these subjects. Beginning students tend to get bogged down in the notation of the Navier-Stokes equations and the inevitable difficulties that arise when trying to discretize them. Despite this fact, we will attempt to show that, given a little instruction, building a complete fluid simulator is actually fairly straightforward.