Dimensional Analysis

Velocity:
Speed is the rate of change of distance with respect to time

Dimensions of speed = L
T
= LT-1
Speed = LT-1

The unit of speed is metres per second

(Horan & Lavelle, 2003)

Acceleration:
Acceleration is the rate of change of speed with respect to time

Dimensions of acceleration = LT-1

T
= LT-2
Acceleration = LT-2

The unit of acceleration is metres per second squared.

(Horan & Lavelle, 2003)

Pressure:
Pressure is force per unit area

Dimensions of pressure = Force

Area
= MLT-2
L2
= (MLT-2)( L-2)
= ML-1T-2

Pressure = ML-1T-2
The unit of pressure is pascal

Density:
Density is the mass per unit volume.

Dimensions of volume = M
L3
= ML-3

Density = ML-3

The unit of density is kg m-3

(Horan & Lavelle, 2003)

Drag at the seabed

Drag is type of fraction. To analyze drag at the seabed, we need to identify the basic
quantities with dimensions, including:

Speed of ocean current = LT-1

Force = MLT-2
Water density = ML-3

Among all the quantities, only speed contains time as a factor, all other quantities not
contain time. Therefore, in order to power of time to be consistent, the drag has to
be proportional to square of the current. Mathematically, drag force can be written
as:

FD = 1/2CpAv2

Where:
C is the drag coefficient
A is the area of object facing the fluid
p is the density of fluid
v is the speed of the fluid

(Lumen Physics, 2019)

Reference List

Horan, R. & Lavelle, M., 2003. Dimensional Analysis. [Online]

Available at:
http://www.cse.salford.ac.uk/physics/gsmcdonald/M1A_01_Algebra_Foundation_06
_Dimensional%20analysis.pdf
[Access: 28 Oct 2019].

Lumen Physics, 2019. Drag Forces. [Online]

Available at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/physics/chapter/5-2-drag-forces/
[Access: 12 Nov 2019].