Which term describes the flow produced by the propeller?

Which term describes the flow produced by the propeller?

• A. Screw current
• B. Cavitation
• C. Pitch
• D. Slip

Answer: (A)

The flow pattern created by a rotating propeller is described as the screw current. As the blades push water, they impart both forward motion and a swirling, helical motion, producing a wake behind the propeller that resembles a screw or spiral flow. Cavitation is about vapor bubbles forming from low pressure and is not the flow type itself. Pitch is the blade angle that sets how far the propeller would move the vessel per revolution in theory, and slip is the difference between actual forward speed and that theoretical advance. The screw current specifically names the characteristic swirling flow produced by the propeller.

The flow pattern created by a rotating propeller is described as the screw current. As the blades push water, they impart both forward motion and a swirling, helical motion, producing a wake behind the propeller that resembles a screw or spiral flow. Cavitation is about vapor bubbles forming from low pressure and is not the flow type itself. Pitch is the blade angle that sets how far the propeller would move the vessel per revolution in theory, and slip is the difference between actual forward speed and that theoretical advance. The screw current specifically names the characteristic swirling flow produced by the propeller.