CBEMS 125A Homework 1

Due 10/4/2016 at the beginning of class

1. The Mach Number is a dimensionless ratio of the velocity of an object in a fluid to the speed of sound
in the fluid. For an airplane flying at a velocity V in air at absolute temperature T, the Mach Number Ma

is =

where k is a dimensionless constant and R is the specific gas constant for air. Show that Ma is
dimensionless.
2. If G is a force and x a length, what are the dimensions in the FLT system of
(a) dG/dx
(b) d3G/dx3
(c) Gdx
3. If V is a velocity, l a length, and v a fluid property (the kinematic viscosity) having dimensions L2T-1,
which of the following cobinations are dimensionless?
(a) Vlv
(b) Vl/v
(c) V2v
(d) V/lv
4. A tank contains 500 kg of a liquid whose specific gravity is 2. Determine the volume of the liquid in the
tank.
5. For the parallel plate arrangement shown below, it is found that when the distance between the two plates
is 2 mm, a shearing stress of 150 Pa develops at the upper plate when it is pulled at a velocity of 1 m/s.
Determine the viscosity of the fluid between the plates. Use SI units.
1 m/s
2 mm

6. When a 2-mm diameter tube is inserted into a liquid in an open tank, the liquid is observed to rise 10 mm
above the free surface of the liquid. The contact angle between the liquid and the tube is zero, and the
specific weight of the liquid is 1.2x104 N/m3. Determine the value of the surface tension for this liquid.