Momentum–depth relationship in a rectangular channel Momentum–depth relationship in a rectangular channel In classical physics, momentum is the product of mass and velocity and is a vector quantity, but in fluid mechanics it is treated as a longitudinal quantity (i.e. one dimension) evaluated in the direction of flow. Additionally, it is evaluated as momentum per unit time, corresponding to the product of mass flow rate and velocity, and therefore it has units of force. The momentum forces considered in open channel flow are dynamic force – dependent of depth and flow rate – and static force – dependent of depth – both affected by gravity. The
Dot product identity, also known as "Lagrange's formula" may be remembered as "BAC minus CAB", keeping in mind which vectors are dotted together. This formula finds application in simplifying vector calculations in physics. In physics, vector magnitude is a scalar in the physical sense, i.e. a physical quantity independent of the coordinate system, expressed as the product of a numerical value and a physical unit, not just a number. The dot product is also a scalar in this sense, given by the formula, independent of the coordinate system. Examples include: For vectors with complex entries, using the given definition of the dot