Abstract
Mass flow in interacting binary stars, including those with collapsed objects, is discussed in terms of both observational data and theoretical basis. The notion of wholly conservative mass flow arises from the so-called 'Roche lobe' overflow model, in which the mass lost from one component is accreted by its companion star. This conjecture can be shown to be invalid when the restricted three-body problem is examined critically. Actual observations made in a number of binaries in several wavelengths, including the ultraviolet region, show complex gas dynamics, involving gas streams within and out of the binary, putative accretion disks in some systems, and accretion to the companion.
