Stokes' law

American  

noun

Physics.

1. the law that the force that retards a sphere moving through a viscous fluid is directly proportional to the velocity of the sphere, the radius of the sphere, and the viscosity of the fluid.

2. the law that the frequency of luminescence induced by radiation is usually less than the frequency of the radiation.

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Etymology

Origin of Stokes' law

Named after Sir G. Stokes

Example Sentences

The rate at which such particles settle depends upon the size and density of the particle and the viscosity of the liquid, and can be roughly calculated from the formula for Stokes' law for the rate of falling of a spherical body in a liquid.

From Project Gutenberg