BUSITEMA UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF SCIENCE & EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN INDUSTRIAL MATHEMATICS (MIM)

GROUP PRESENTATION TASK

Discuss the Ryleigh’s method of Dimensional analysis
GROUP MEMBERS
1. MEREGULWA ABUBAKARI
2. ONYAMI LAWRENCE
3. WATUWA STANLEY
4. MUDE DERRICK
 Table of content
1. Introduction to dimensional analysis
2. Dimensional homogeneity
3. Physical significance of dimensional analysis
4. Rayleigh’s method of dimensional analysis
5. FLOW CHART SHOWING Rayleigh's method
6. Example 1
7. Example 2
8. Limitations of the Rayleigh's method
9. REFERENCES
 Introduction to Dimensional
Analysis
Dimension: A property or characteristic of a physical quantity that can be measured,
expressed in terms of fundamental dimensions (e.g., length, mass, time).

Dimensional Analysis: A mathematical technique used to analyze and solve problems

involving physical quantities by considering their dimensions.

Each physical phenomenon can be expressed by an equation giving relationships between

different quantities which may be dimensional or dimensionless.

The process is based on the principle of dimensional homogeneity and uses the
dimensions of relevant variables affecting the phenomenon.
 DIMENSIONAL HOMOGENEITY
The Principle of Dimensional Homogeneity
“All additive terms in a physical equation must have the same dimensions.”
𝟏
For example in equation 𝒔 = 𝒖𝒕 + 𝒂𝒕𝟐 . All terms have the dimension of length.
𝟐

Dimensional homogeneity is a useful tool for checking formulae. For this reason it is
useful when analyzing a physical problem to retain algebraic symbols for as long as
possible, only substituting numbers right at the end. However, dimensional analysis
𝟏
cannot determine numerical factors; e.g. it cannot distinguish between 𝟐 𝒂𝒕𝟐 and 𝒂𝒕𝟐
in the first formula above
 PHYSICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
 Dimensional analysis helps identify dimensionless parameters or dimensionless
groups that are invariant across different systems. These dimensionless groups
often play a crucial role in characterizing the behavior of physical processes.

 It helps to derive relational formula for a flow phenomenon

 It helps to plan model tests and presents experimental results in systematic

manner, hence making it possible to analyze the complex fluid phenomenon
 Rayleigh’s Method of
Dimensional Analysis
As early as 1899, Lord Rayleigh made an ingenious application of
dimensional analysis to the problem of the effect of temperature on
the viscosity of gas.
In this method first we assume some functional relationships and
then we equate the dimensions at both sides and developing the
relationship between the dependent & independent variables.
A basic method to dimensional analysis method and can be simplified
to yield dimensionless groups controlling the phenomenon.
Flow chart below shows the procedures
Flow chart below shows the procedures
𝑿 = 𝑪𝑿𝒂𝟏 𝑿𝒃𝟐 𝑿𝒄𝟑 … 𝑿𝒎
𝒏
Identify the dependent and independent variables Where
𝑪 = 𝒅𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔
write the functional relationship in the form of 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
𝑿 = 𝑪𝑿𝒂𝟏 𝑿𝒃𝟐 𝑿𝒄𝟑 … 𝑿𝒎
𝒏 a, b, c, … m are arbitrary constants
𝑿 = 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆
Write all the variables in terms of dimensions and apply the 𝑿𝒏 = 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔
principle of dimensional homogeneity

Equate the powers and solve the simultaneous equation to get the
values of the unknown exponents, hence substitute in the equation
to form the required equation
 Example 1
Find an expression for the drag force on a smooth sphere of the diameter D
moving with uniform velocity V in a fluid whose density 𝝆 and dynamic viscosity 𝝁

Solution
The drag force F is a function of D, V, 𝝆, 𝝁
The expression can be written as
𝑭 = 𝒇(D, V, 𝝆, 𝝁)
𝑭 = 𝑪 𝑫𝒂 . 𝑽𝒃 . 𝝆𝒄 . 𝝁𝒅 … … … … … 𝟏. 𝟎
Where C is a dimensionless constant, while a,b,c,d, are arbitrary powers
Writing (1.0) in terms of dimensions
𝒃 𝒄 𝒅
𝑴𝑳𝑻−𝟐 = 𝑪(𝑳𝒂 . 𝑳𝑻−𝟏 . 𝑴𝑳−𝟑 . 𝑴𝑳−𝟏 𝑻−𝟏

𝑴𝑳𝑻−𝟐 = 𝑪𝑳𝒂 . 𝑳𝒃 . 𝑻−𝒃 . 𝑴𝒄 . 𝑳−𝟑𝒄 . 𝑴𝒅 . 𝑳−𝒅 . 𝑻−𝒅

𝑴𝑳𝑻−𝟐 = 𝑪𝑳𝒂+𝒃−𝟑𝒄−𝒅 . 𝑻−𝒃−𝒅 . 𝑴𝒄+𝒅
Equating powers of M; 𝒄 + 𝒅 = 𝟏 … … … 𝟏. 𝟏

Powers of T; −𝒃 − 𝒅 = −𝟐 … … … … … … 𝟏. 𝟐

Powers of L: 𝒂 + 𝒃 − 𝟑𝒄 − 𝒅 = 𝟏 … … … 𝟏. 𝟑

NB: These are three equations in four unknowns but three of them
can be expressed in terms of the fourth variable. In the case of the
drag the role of the viscosity is vital, hence expressing a, b and c in
terms of d yields.

𝒄=𝟏−𝒅 ; 𝒃 = 𝟐 − 𝒅 ∶ 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝟏. 𝟑

𝒂=𝟏+𝒅+𝟑 𝟏−𝒅 − 𝟐−𝒅

𝒂 = 𝟏 + 𝒅 + 𝟑 − 𝟑𝒅 − 𝟐 + 𝒅; 𝒂=𝟐−𝒅
(1.0) becomes
𝑭 = 𝑪(𝑫𝟐−𝒅 . 𝑽𝟐−𝒅 . 𝝆𝟏−𝒅 . 𝝁𝒅 )

𝝁 𝒅
𝑭 = 𝑪 𝑫𝟐 . 𝑽𝟐 . 𝝆. 𝝆𝑫

𝟐 𝟐 𝝁
𝑭 = 𝝆𝑫 𝑽 𝝓(𝝆𝑫)
𝝁
where 𝝓 denotes an arbitrary function of ( )
𝝆𝑫
 Example 2
The velocity of propagation of a pressure wave through a liquid can be expected to
depend on the elasticity of the liquid represented by the bulk modulus K, and its mass
density ρ. Establish by Dimension Analysis the form of the possible relationship.

Solution
𝑼=𝒇 𝑲, 𝝆
𝑼 = 𝑪 𝑲𝒂 . 𝝆𝒃 … … … … … … … … … … 𝟏. 𝟎
From (1.1) 𝒂 = −𝒃,
Where C is a dimensionless constant, a, and b are arbitrary exponents
𝟏 𝟏
But 𝑼 = 𝑳𝑻−𝟏 ; 𝝆 = 𝑴𝑳−𝟑 𝑲 = 𝑴𝑳−𝟏 𝑻−𝟐 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝟏. 𝟐 , 𝒂 = ; 𝒃=−
(1.0) becomes 𝟐 𝟐
𝒂 𝒃 𝟏. 𝟎 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔
𝑳𝑻−𝟏 = 𝑪( 𝑴𝑳−𝟏 𝑻−𝟐 . 𝑴𝑳−𝟑 ) 𝟏 𝟏
−𝟐
𝑼=𝑪 𝑲𝟐 .𝝆
𝑳𝑻−𝟏 = 𝑪. 𝑴𝒂 𝑳−𝒂 𝑻−𝟐𝒂 . 𝑴𝒃 𝑳−𝟑𝒃
𝑴𝟎 𝑳𝑻−𝟏 = 𝑪𝑴𝒂+𝒃 . 𝑳−𝒂−𝟑𝒃 . 𝑻−𝟐𝒂 𝑲
𝑼=𝑪
Equating powers of M; 𝒂 + 𝒃 = 𝟎 … … … … (𝟏. 𝟏) 𝝆
Powers of T; −𝟐𝒂 = −𝟏 … … … … … … … … . 𝟏. 𝟐
Powers of L: −𝒂 − 𝟑𝒃 = 𝟏 … … … … … … . . (𝟏. 𝟑)
Limitations of the Rayleigh's method
References
Cimbala, John; Çengel, Yunus (2006). "§7-2 Dimensional homogeneity". Essential of Fluid
Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications. McGraw-Hill. p. 203–. ISBN 9780073138350.
Mosca, Gene; Tipler, Paul Allen (2007), Physics for Scientists and Engineers – with Modern
Physics (6th ed.), San Francisco: W. H. Freeman, ISBN 978-0-7167-8964-2
https://shorturl.at/azL29
https://www.rcet.org.in/uploads/academics/rohini_95030020790.pdf
https://youtu.be/n_LVMtKgJbE
Lomax, H., Pulliam, T. H., Zingg, D. W., & Kowalewski, T. A. (2002). Fundamentals of
computational fluid dynamics. Appl. Mech. Rev., 55(4), B61-B61.
Tritton, D. J. (2012). Physical fluid dynamics. Springer Science & Business Media.