FLUID MECHANICS

Fluid Mechanics is that branch

of science which deals with
behaviour of the fluids at rest
as well as in motion
Fluid mechanics can we divided
into 3 divisions:
Hydrostatics: that studies the mechanics of
fluids at absolute and relative rest.
Kinematics: deals with translation, rotation and
deformation of fluid without considering the
force and energy causing such a motion.
Dynamics: that prescribes the relation between
velocities and acceleration and the forces which
are exerted by or upon the moving fluids.
What is Fluid ?
Matter exist in two principal forms:

• Solid
• Fluids

Fluids are further sub-divided into:

• Liquid
• Gas
For all practical purposes , the
liquids and solids can be regarded as
incompressible.This means that
pressure and temperature have
practically no effect on them.Eg
Water, Kerosene,petrol etc.
But Gases are readily compressible
fluids.They expand infinitely in the
absence of pressure and contract easily
under pressure. Eg air ,ammonia etc.
A DAY FULL OF FLUID
MECHANICS
YOU WOKE UP IN THE MORNING AND THE
ROOM IS COOL.

Coolant circulating
Inside it and cool
Air which it gives
is Fluid
After that you washed your face at
the sink. The water which comes at
your tap is fluid and has come
through the piping system which
also comes under fluid mechanics.
After that you decided to have your
breakfast. The coolant moving
inside the small pipes at the back of
your
refrigerator, and the air circulating
inside it are both fluids.
After finishing your breakfast, You decided to
do some cleaning before
heading to the school. Proper suction of air
and filtering the dust requires the knowledge
of Fluid Mechanics.
After that you turned on your T.V
to get the morning news.
Nothing good, war again
UNMANNED AIR VEHICLE USED BY
US ARMY IN AFGHANISTAN
MISSILE AERODYNAMICS
Now it’s the time to go to college,
otherwise you will get late
A mixture of fuel like petrol and air is forced
by atmospheric (or greater) pressure into
the cylinder through the intake port
Before your class you went to PC
lab and took a print out of your
assignment. Inkjet printing also
involves fluid mechanics.
Knowledge of Fluid Mechanics is
essential for proper design of
Ships.
Otherwise without the proper
knowledge of fluid mechanics,
What will happen
In this subject, topic on Model
Studies is there which is very
important for civil engineers.
Model Tests on civil engineering structures
such as Dams, canals to predict the
working of full size structure and river
models assist a civil engineer in the
design of flood control structure as well as
in the analysis of sediment movement in
rivers.
Significance of Fluid Mechanics

• Design of wide range of hydraulic structures

(dams,canals) and machinery
( pumps,turbines).
• Fluidic control devices; both pneumatic and
hydraulic.
• Design and analysis of gas turbine , rocket
engine, super sonic aircrafts.
• Human circulatory system i.e the flow of blood in
veins and the pumping action of heart.
Ideal Fluid: A fluid is said to be
ideal if it is assumed to be both
incompressible and inviscid (non-
viscous).

Ideal fluid has no surface tension and viscosity is

zero and no frictional forces are set up even
during the fluid motion.

Ideal Fluids are imaginary and do not exist in

nature .
Real Fluid: Practical Fluid have
surface tension, viscosity and
compressibility.

Whenever motion takes place, the

tangential or shear forces always come
into play due to viscosity and some
frictional work is done.
Density (ρ)

Density is the mass of the fluid per unit

volume
ρ = m/v

Units : Kg/m3
Specific Gravity(s):

The specific gravity is the ratio of the

density or specific weight of the fluid to
the density or specific weight of water, at
a temperature of 4oC

For Gases the standard fluid is taken either

air at 00 C or Hydrogen at the same
temperature.
It is dimensionless quantity.

A Statement that the specific gravity of

mercury is 13.6 implies that its weight (or
mass) in 13.6 times that of the same
volume of water.
In simple words, mercury is 13.6 times
heavier than water.
Specific Volume: Represents the
volume per unit mass of fluid.
Specific Volume is the inverse of the mass
density.

v= V/m
or v=1/ρ
v=1/
The concept of specific volume is found to
be more useful in the study of flow of
compressible fluids i.e gases.
Viscosity: It is the property of the
fluid by virue of which it offers
resistance to shear or angular
deformation.
Mollases,tar, glycerine are highly viscous
fluids.

Water,air,petrol have very small viscosity

and are called thin fluids.
Newton’s Law of Viscosity

τ= µ (du/dy)

Where, du/dy =velocity gradient

µ= coefficient of viscosity, absolute

viscosity or dynamic viscosity.
Following Observations can be
made from Newton’s viscosity
Equation:
• Max. shear stress occur when velocity
gradient is largest and shear stress
disappears where velocity gradient is zero.
• Velocity Gradient becomes small with
distance from the boundary.Consequently
the max value of shear stress occurs at
the boundary and it decreases from the
boundary.