Froude number is the ratio of inertia force to -a)Viscous forceb)Suspa...
Froude number is a dimensionless quantity that is commonly used in fluid mechanics to analyze flow behavior. It is named after William Froude, a British engineer and naval architect. The Froude number is defined as the ratio of inertia force to gravity force.
Inertia force, also known as the inertial force or the acceleration force, is the force that opposes changes in the motion of a fluid element. It is directly related to the mass and acceleration of the fluid. Inertia force is responsible for the momentum of the fluid and is proportional to the square of the velocity.
On the other hand, gravity force is the force exerted by gravity on a fluid element. It acts vertically downwards and is proportional to the mass of the fluid element.
The Froude number is given by the formula:
Fr = V / sqrt(gL)
Where:
- Fr is the Froude number
- V is the velocity of the fluid
- g is the acceleration due to gravity
- L is a characteristic length (such as the depth of the fluid or the length of a ship)
The Froude number can be interpreted as a measure of the relative importance of inertial forces to gravity forces. It helps in determining the type of flow that occurs in a given situation.
If the Froude number is less than 1 (Fr < 1),="" the="" flow="" is="" said="" to="" be="" subcritical="" or="" tranquil.="" in="" this="" case,="" the="" inertia="" forces="" are="" relatively="" weak="" compared="" to="" gravity="" forces,="" and="" the="" flow="" behavior="" is="" dominated="" by="" the="" effects="" of="" />
If the Froude number is equal to 1 (Fr = 1), the flow is said to be critical. This is a special case where the inertia forces and gravity forces are of equal importance. The flow behavior in this case is transitional between subcritical and supercritical flow.
If the Froude number is greater than 1 (Fr > 1), the flow is said to be supercritical or rapid. In this case, the inertia forces are stronger compared to gravity forces, and the flow behavior is dominated by the effects of inertia.
In conclusion, the Froude number is the ratio of inertia force to gravity force and is used to analyze the flow behavior in fluid mechanics.