In this first part, we get oriented to the general subject matter of the book and the style of approach. The orientation in Chapter 1 includes a discussion of broader aspects, such as mathematical modeling, continuum mechanics, the role of energy in the universe and the apparent need of astronomical bodies to cool as rapidly as possible. Central to our study is the concept of a continuous body, as discussed in § 1.2.

The second chapter provides a bit more introductory detail, including the reference coordinate system, a definition of waves and flows, a summary of the scope of the book and brief introductions to a number of related issues.