Variable-mass system events. The following derivation is for a body that is gaining mass (accretion). A body of time-varying mass "m" moves at a velocity v at an initial time "t". In the same instant, a particle of mass dm moves with velocity u. The initial momentum can be written as Now at a time "t" + d"t", let both the main body and the particle accrete into a body of velocity v + dv. Thus the new momentum of the system can be written as Since d"m"dv is the product of two small values, it can be ignored, meaning during d"t"
Mass flow rate These results are equivalent to the equation containing the dot product. Sometimes these equations are used to define the mass flow rate. Considering flow through porous media, a special quantity, superficial mass flow rate, can be introduced. It is related with superficial velocity, v, with the following relationship: The quantity can be used in particle Reynolds number or mass transfer coefficient calculation for fixed and fluidized bed systems. In the elementary form of the continuity equation for mass, in hydrodynamics: In elementary classical mechanics, mass flow rate is encountered when dealing with objects of variable mass, such as a rocket