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Eddy (fluid dynamics)

 

 
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Eddy (fluid dynamics)
 
 
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In fluid dynamics
Fluid dynamics

In physics, fluid dynamics is the sub-discipline of fluid mechanics dealing with fluid flow — the natural science of fluids in motion....
, an eddy is the swirling of a fluid
Fluid

A fluid is defined as a substance that continually deforms under an applied shear stress. All liquids and all gases are fluids. Fluids are a subset of the Phase and include liquids, gas, Plasma physics and, to some extent, plasticity ....
 and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle. The moving fluid creates a space devoid of downstream-flowing fluid on the downstream side of the object. Fluid behind the obstacle flows into the void creating a swirl of fluid on each edge of the obstacle, followed by a short reverse flow of fluid behind the obstacle flowing upstream, toward the back of the obstacle.






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In fluid dynamics
Fluid dynamics

In physics, fluid dynamics is the sub-discipline of fluid mechanics dealing with fluid flow — the natural science of fluids in motion....
, an eddy is the swirling of a fluid
Fluid

A fluid is defined as a substance that continually deforms under an applied shear stress. All liquids and all gases are fluids. Fluids are a subset of the Phase and include liquids, gas, Plasma physics and, to some extent, plasticity ....
 and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle. The moving fluid creates a space devoid of downstream-flowing fluid on the downstream side of the object. Fluid behind the obstacle flows into the void creating a swirl of fluid on each edge of the obstacle, followed by a short reverse flow of fluid behind the obstacle flowing upstream, toward the back of the obstacle. This phenomenon is most visible behind large emergent rocks in swift-flowing river
River

A river is a natural stream of water, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, or another stream. In some cases a river flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water....
s.

Another possible type of turbulence
Turbulence

In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is a fluid regime characterized by chaotic, stochastic property changes. This includes low momentum diffusion, high momentum convection, and rapid variation of pressure and velocity in space and time....
 is the vortex
Vortex

A vortex is a Rotation, often Turbulence,flow of fluid. Any spiral motion with closed Streamlines, streaklines and pathlines is vortex flow....
. This notion is rather applied to gas
Gas

In physics, a gas is a state of matter, consisting of a collection of particles without a definite shape or volume that are in more or less random motion....
es than to liquids. Here, no void is created, but only an area of lower pressure, but again, a backflow causes the gas to rotate
Rotation

A rotation is a movement of an object in a circular motion. A two-dimensional object rotates around a center of rotation. A Three-dimensional space object rotates around a line called an axis....
.

The concept of eddy is often used in phenomenology
Phenomenology (science)

The term phenomenology in science is used to describe a body of knowledge which relates experiment of phenomenon to each other, in a way which is consistent with fundamental theory, but is not directly derived from theory....
 of turbulence
Turbulence

In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is a fluid regime characterized by chaotic, stochastic property changes. This includes low momentum diffusion, high momentum convection, and rapid variation of pressure and velocity in space and time....
. An ”eddy” of size l can be loosely described as the velocity in the Fourier
Fourier

Fourier may refer to:*Charles Fourier , a French utopian socialist thinker*Joseph Fourier , a French mathematician and physicist**Mathematics, physics, and engineering terms named in his honor for his work on the concepts underlying them:...
 mode with wave-vector q=1/l.

See also

  • Whirlpool
    Whirlpool

    A whirlpool is a swirling body of water usually produced by ocean tides. The vast majority of whirlpools are not very powerful. More powerful ones are more properly termed maelstroms....
  • Whirlwind
    Whirlwind (atmospheric phenomenon)

    A whirlwind is a weather phenomenon in which a vortex of wind, a vertically oriented rotating column of air, forms, due to instabilities and turbulence created by heating and Flux gradients....
  • River Eddies in Whitewater
    Whitewater

    Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's Stream gradient drops enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white....