According to Bernoulli's theorem, which form of energy can be ignored in air flow assessment?

In the context of Bernoulli's theorem, potential energy can often be ignored during assessments of airflow, especially when the flow occurs along a horizontal plane. Bernoulli's theorem primarily focuses on the relationship between pressure, velocity, and elevation for an incompressible, frictionless fluid, which is typically assumed in many airflow scenarios.

In many practical air flow assessments, particularly in aviation and fluid dynamics, the vertical height changes (and therefore the potential energy) are minimal compared to changes in pressure and kinetic energy. Since airflow is often analyzed over short distances where the elevation change is negligible, potential energy’s contribution to the overall energy in the system becomes insignificant.

This allows engineers and scientists to simplify calculations by focusing on the kinetic energy of the moving air and the pressure energy associated with it, which are more crucial for understanding the behavior of the flow. Thus, in applications related to airflow, neglecting potential energy is a valid and commonly accepted practice, making this choice accurate.