A viscous fluid flows steadily down a plane that is inclined at an angle $\alpha$ to the horizontal. The fluid layer is of uniform thickness and has a free upper surface. Determine the velocity profile in the direction perpendicular to the plane and also the volume flux (per unit width), in terms of the gravitational acceleration $g$, the angle $\alpha$, the kinematic viscosity $\nu$ and the thickness $h$ of the fluid layer.

Show that the volume flux is reduced if the free upper surface is replaced by a stationary plane boundary, and give a physical explanation for this.