Ratio of forces or effects

Have no dimensions

If properly conceived, will scale

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Use to model experiments

Find constants

Determine validity of equation usage

Most-used numbers in CFD

Reynolds number = Re = inertia/viscosity = vL/
Froude number = Fr = inertia/gravity = v2/Lg
Peclet Number = Pe = convection/diffusion = vL/
Prandtl number = Pr = viscosity/conduction = /
Strouhal number =So =

characteristic length

= fL/u

distance travelled during period t

Weber Number is defined as

is the ratio of inertia forces to surface tension force. If the number is small it
implies that surface tension effects are important.