The Buckingham π theorem is a key theorem in dimensional analysis.
The theorem states that the functional dependence between a certain number (e.g.: n) of variables can be reduced by the number (e.g. k) of independent dimensions occurring in those variables to give a set of p = n − k independent, dimensionless numbers. For the purposes of the experimenter, different systems which share the same description by dimensionless numbers are equivalent.
This theorem describes how every physically meaningful equation involving n variables can be equivalently rewritten as an equation of n − m dimensionless parameters, where m is the number of fundamental units used.
Most importantly, it provides a method for computing sets of dimensionless parameters from the given variables, even if the form of the equation is still unknown. However, the choice of dimensionless parameters is not unique: Buckingham's theorem only provides a way of generating sets of dimensionless parameters, and will not choose the most 'physically meaningful'.
Proofs of the π theorem often begin by considering the space of fundamental and derived physical units as a vector space, with the fundamental units as basis vectors, and with multiplication of physical units as the "vector addition" operation, and raising to powers as the "scalar multiplication" operation.
Making the physical units match across sets of physical equations can then be regarded as imposing linear constraints in the physical unit vector space.
The π-theorem theorem describes how every physically meaningful equation involving n variables can be equivalently rewritten as an equation of n − m dimensionless parameters, where m is the number of fundamental units used. Furthermore, and most importantly, it provides a method for computing these dimensionless parameters from the given variables, even if the form of the equation is still unknown.
Two systems for which these parameters coincide are called similar; they are equivalent for the purposes of the equation, and the experimentalist who wants to determine the form of the equation can choose the most convenient one.
The π-theorem uses linear algebra: the space of all possible physical units can be seen as a vector space over the rational numbers if we represent a unit as the set of exponents needed for the fundamental units (with a power of zero if the particular fundamental unit is not present). Multiplication of physical units is then represented by vector addition within this vector space. The algorithm of the π-theorem is essentially a Gauss-Jordan elimination carried out in this vector space.
See also: Dimensionless numberProving the π theorem
