Study of Natural Phenomena and their Applications

Probes are being sent to far reaches of the atmosphere to study wind patterns, turbulence, cloud properties and the origin of this planet's climate. Similarly one cuts through various layers of earth to determine the pattern of distribution of groundwater or the presence of oil reserves. These are examples of field experiments, as against laboratory where one studies localized phenomena.

Testing of Hypothesis

One of the primary roles of laboratory experiments is to test hypotheses that are required in developing a theory. Some of the hypotheses that have been experimentally validated are:

• Linear stress-strain rate relation for commonly occurring fluids such as air, water and thin oils.
• Mixing-length hypothesis for a fully developed turbulent boundary-layer.
• Onset of transition in boundary-layers in the form of two-dimensional periodic disturbances.
• Mathematical analogy between convective heat and mass transfer.

Experimental confirmation of approximations is a vital confidence-building measure that posits reliability to modeling and analysis of real-life engineering systems.