The origin of dimensional analysis |
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| Authors: | Roberto De A Martins |
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| Institution: | Federal University of Paraná, Brazil, Caixa Postal 2228, 80.000, Curitiba, PR, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | A paper by Macagno (3) in this Journal is discussed. The origin of the concept of physical dimensions is traced back to ideas previously used in analytic geometry. Descartes' use of the word “dimension” in the study of physical magnitudes is shown to have properties completely different from Fourier's dimensions, being therefore unimportant to the evolution of dimensional analysis. It is also shown that the principle of homogeneity was used in the derivation of physical equations sixty years prior to the publication of Fourier's work, and that the latter was aware of this paper, that may be considered the earliest publication on dimensional analysis. |
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