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Momentum Thickness Formula:
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Momentum thickness is a measure of the momentum deficit in a boundary layer flow. It represents the distance by which the boundary would have to be displaced to compensate for the reduction in momentum flux due to the boundary layer formation.
The calculator uses the momentum thickness formula:
Where:
Explanation: This formula provides a simplified relationship between the hydrodynamic boundary layer thickness and the momentum thickness for certain flow conditions.
Details: Momentum thickness is crucial in boundary layer theory as it relates to drag calculations, flow separation prediction, and understanding the momentum loss in fluid flow over surfaces.
Tips: Enter the hydrodynamic boundary layer thickness in meters. The value must be positive and greater than zero.
Q1: What is the physical significance of momentum thickness?
A: Momentum thickness represents the thickness of a layer of fluid with free-stream velocity that would have the same momentum deficit as the actual boundary layer.
Q2: How does momentum thickness relate to drag force?
A: The momentum thickness is directly related to the skin friction drag on a surface, with larger momentum thickness indicating greater drag.
Q3: Is this formula applicable to all flow conditions?
A: This specific formula (θ = 7/72 × δ) applies to certain simplified flow conditions and may not be universal for all boundary layer flows.
Q4: How does momentum thickness compare to displacement thickness?
A: Displacement thickness accounts for mass flow deficit, while momentum thickness accounts for momentum deficit. They are different measures of boundary layer effects.
Q5: Can momentum thickness be measured experimentally?
A: Yes, momentum thickness can be determined from velocity profile measurements in wind tunnel experiments or computational fluid dynamics simulations.