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International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

211924

Physically similar systems - a history of the concept

Susan G. Sterrett

pp. 377-411

Abstract

The concept of similar systems arose in physics and appears to have originated with Newton in the seventeenth century. This chapter provides a critical history of the concept of physically similar systems , the twentieth century concept into which it developed. The concept was used in the nineteenth century in various fields of engineering (Froude , Bertrand, Reech ), theoretical physics (van der Waals , Onnes , Lorentz , Maxwell , Boltzmann ), and theoretical and experimental hydrodynamics (Stokes , Helmholtz , Reynolds , Prandtl , Rayleigh ). In 1914, it was articulated in terms of ideas developed in the eighteenth century and used in nineteenth century mathematics and mechanics: equations, functions, and dimensional analysis. The terminology physically similar systems was proposed for this new characterization of similar systems by the physicist Edgar Buckingham . Related work by Vaschy , Bertrand, and Riabouchinsky had appeared by then. The concept is very powerful in studying physical phenomena both theoretically and experimentally. As it is not currently a part of the core curricula of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM ) disciplines or philosophy of science, it is not as well known as it ought to be.

Publication details

Published in:

Magnani Lorenzo, Bertolotti Tommaso (2017) Springer handbook of model-based science. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 377-411

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30526-4_18

Full citation:

Sterrett Susan G. (2017) „Physically similar systems - a history of the concept“, In: L. Magnani & T. Bertolotti (eds.), Springer handbook of model-based science, Dordrecht, Springer, 377–411.