What characteristic is displayed on a pump curve along with capacity and head?

The characteristic displayed on a pump curve, alongside capacity and head, is power. The pump curve illustrates the relationship between the various operating conditions of a pump, providing essential information about its performance.

Power is an important factor because it indicates how much energy is required to operate the pump at different capacities and heads. As capacity increases, it is crucial to understand how the required power fluctuates, which helps operators ensure that the pump is not over or under-powered for the application. This relationship is critical for system efficiency and to prevent damage to the pump or the system.

While temperature, speed, and pressure are significant in understanding pump operations, they do not feature prominently on a typical pump curve. Temperature can affect the fluid viscosity and, consequently, pump performance but is not a direct parameter represented on the curve itself. Speed relates to the rotational speed of the pump impeller, and while it can impact performance, it is usually considered alongside the pump curve rather than as a plotted characteristic. Pressure is a result of head and is indirectly represented in the context of head, but it does not appear on the curve as a specific parameter. Therefore, power stands out as the correct characteristic displayed on a pump curve alongside capacity and head.