Question

Which of the following statements regarding a rectangular channel at the critical state of flow is true?

a) The depth of flow is equal to the miniμm specific energy.
b) The depth of flow is equal to half of the miniμm specific energy.
c) The depth of flow is equal to two-thirds of the miniμm specific energy.
d) The depth of flow is equal to three-quarters of the miniμm specific energy.

Answer 1

The true statement is that the depth of flow is equal to the minimum specific energy when a rectangular channel is at the critical state of flow.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is true regarding a rectangular channel at the critical state of flow is: a) The depth of flow is equal to the minimum specific energy. When a fluid reaches the critical flow condition, also known as the critical depth, it is at the state where the specific energy is at a minimum for a given quantity of flow. At this point, there are unique relationships between the depth of flow, the velocity, and the gravitational acceleration, which combine to define the critical state. However, the exact minimum specific energy will not necessarily be equal to a simple fraction of the depth of flow.