UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

CEIC 2009 S2 2015
MATERIAL & ENERGY BALANCES STRAND
TUTORIAL PROBLEMS
DIMENSIONAL CONSISTENCY & SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

2.1

The density of a certain liquid is given by an equation of the following form:

= (A + BT)eCP
Where:

= density (g/cm3)
T = temperature (C)
P = pressure (atm)

For this equation to be dimensionally consistent, what are the units of A, B and C?

2.2

Demonstrate that the following equation for flow over a rectangular weir is
dimensionally consistent:

Where:

= 0.415 ( 0.20 )1.5

0 2

q = volumetric flowrate (ft3/s)

L = crest height (ft)
H 0 = weir head (ft)

g = acceleration of gravity (32.2 ft/s2)

2.3

In an article on measuring flow from pipes, the author calculated q = 80.8 m3/s using
the formula:

= 1

2(1 2 )
2
1 1
2

q = volumetric flow rate (m3/s)

Where:

C = dimensionless coefficient (0.6)

A 1 = cross-sectional area 1 (m2)
A 2 = cross-sectional area 2 (m2)
V = Specific volume (10-3 m3/kg)
p = pressure
p 1 p 2 = 50 kPa
g = acceleration of gravity (9.80 m/s2)

Was the calculation of q correct?

2.4

In 1916 Nusselt derived a theoretical relation for predicting the coefficient of heat
transfer between a pure saturated vapour and a colder surface:
1
4

Where:

3 2
= 0.943

h is the heat transfer coefficient, Btu / [(hr)(ft2)(F)]

k is the thermal conductivity, Btu / [(hr)(ft)(F)]
is the density in lb/ft3
g is the acceleration due to gravity, 4.17x108 ft/(hr)2
is the enthalpy change of evaporation in Btu/lb
L is the length of the tube in ft
is the viscosity in lb m / [(hr)(ft)]

T is a temperature difference in F

What are the units of the constant 0.943?

2.5

2.6

If you subtract 1191 cm from 1201 cm, each number with 4 significant figures, does
the answer of 10 cm have 2 or 4 (10.00) significant figures?

What is the sum of:

3.1472
32.05
1234
8.9426
0.0032
9.00
to the correct number of significant figures?

2.7

Multiply 762 by 6.3 to get 4800.60 on your calculator. How many significant figures
exist in the product and what should the rounded answer be?

2.8

Suppose you make the following sequence of measurements for the segments in laying
out a compressed air line:
4.61m
210.0 m
0.500 m
What should be the reported total length of the line?

SOLUTIONS

2.1

A is in g/cm3
B is in g/{(cm3)(C)}
Since the exponent of e must be dimensionless C is in atm-1

2.2

()()1.5 2

1
2

Therefore, equation dimensionally consistent.

2.3

= 0.6(2

2)

(2) 9.8 103 3 50103 ()()

2

( 2 )(2 )

2 2
1
5

1
2

The net units on the RHS of the equation are:

1
2

3
4

Consequently, the formula will not yield 80.8 m3/s.

2.4

()2 ()

1
4

2 1 ()() 1
=
3 2


()()()
( )

=
()2 ()