Granted, my civil engineering background makes me think of the flow of continuity. Flow rate is constant and incompressible.

With a look at hydraulics (sp?), each lane closure acts as an elbow or turn in the pipe. This then results in head loss, or speed degradation. You take a jack knifed truck and then that acts as a valve closing quickly and causing water hammer to flow back and cause cars to slow down and stop.

The only difference between our examples and real life is that electrons and water don't move recklessly, swerving in and out of their respective traffic in an SUV!

• Thanks Aurino, Richard - dolphin - July 13, 2002 - 08:32 UTC