principle of dynamical similarity

principle of dynamical similarity

[¦prin·sə·pəl əv di¦nam·ə·kəl ‚sim·ə′lar·əd·ē]

(mechanics)

The principle that two physical systems which are geometrically and kinematically similar at a given instant, and physically similar in constitution, will retain this similarity at later corresponding instants if and only if the Froude number 1 for each independent type of force has identical values in the two systems. Also known as similarity principle.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.