Reynolds number

British  

noun

1. a dimensionless number, v ρ l /η, where v is the fluid velocity, ρ the density, η the viscosity and l a dimension of the system. The value of the number indicates the type of fluid flow

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Etymology

Origin of Reynolds number

C19: named after Osborne Reynolds (1842–1912), British physicist

Example Sentences

The Reynolds law of dynamic similarity or Reynolds similitude, states that if two fluids flow around similar structures with different length scales, they are hydrodynamically identical provided they exhibit the same Reynolds number.

From Science Daily • Jan. 30, 2024

In aerodynamics, the Reynolds number is a quantity that helps predict the flow pattern of fluids.

From Science Daily • Jan. 26, 2024

However, the origins of the critical length scale, a crucial parameter in this method, and its dependence on the Reynolds number are not well understood.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2024

A good example of chaotic behavior is the flow of a fluid with a Reynolds number between 2000 and 3000.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

Mastery of the Reynolds number, and using that knowledge to build wind tunnels that successfully simulated real-world conditions, was the key to the NACAs success.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly