Froude number (Fr)
Named after the British engineer William Froude, the Froude number (Fr) represents the ratio of the velocity (V) of a body to the square root of the product of the gravitational acceleration (g) and the characteristic length (L).
Formula: Fr = V / √(gL).
A Froude number less than 1 implies a subcritical flow, in which the inertia forces are less significant compared to gravitational forces, typically observed in surface waves.
A Froude number equal to 1 implies a critical flow, in which the flow regime transitions between subcritical and supercritical, often associated with the onset of hydraulic jumps in open channel flow.
A Froude number greater than 1 implies a supercritical flow, in which inertia forces dominate over gravitational forces, commonly seen in rapidly flowing streams or in hydraulic jumps downstream of weirs.
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