INTRODUCTION TO

FLUID MECHANICS
JUNE 10, 2013
WHAT IS FLUID MECHANICS?
Fluid mechanics is the branch of physics that
studies fluids (liquids, gases, and plasmas) and
the forces on them. Fluid mechanics can be divided
into fluid statics, the study of fluids at rest;
fluid kinematics, the study of fluids in motion;
and fluid dynamics, the study of the effect of forces
on fluid motion.
• Fluid Mechanics is concerned with the behavior of fluids at
rest and in motion

• Distinction between solids and fluids:

• According to our experience: A solid is “hard” and not easily
deformed. A fluid is “soft” and deforms easily.
• Fluid is a substance that alters its shape in response to any
force however small, that tends to flow or to conform to the
outline of its container, and that includes gases and liquids
and mixtures of solids and liquids capable of flow.
• A fluid is defined as a substance that deforms continuously
when acted on by a shearing stress of any magnitude.
HISTORICAL NOTES
The science of fluid mechanics began with the need to
control water for irrigation poses in ancient Egypt,
Mesopotamia and India.
In 250 B.C, Archimedes discovered and recorded the
principles of hydrostatics and flotation.

Newton Made the greatest

contributions on
Daniel Bernoulli hydrodynamics principles
Euler
 Dimensions and Units
In fluid mechanics we must describe various fluid
characteristics in terms of certain basic quantities such as
length, time and mass

• A dimension is the measure by which a physical variable is expressed

qualitatively, i.e. length is a dimension associated with distance,
width, height, displacement.
 Basic dimensions: Length, L
(or primary quantities) Time, T
Mass, M
Temperature, K (S.I)

 We can derive any secondary quantity from the primary quantities

i.e. Force = (mass) x (acceleration) : F = M L T-2
Intoductio
Chee 223 1.5
n
• A unit is a particular way of attaching a number to the qualitative
Dimensions and Units
British English
Primary
SI Unit Gravitational Engineering
Dimension
(BG) Unit (EE) Unit
Pound-mass
Mass [M] Kilogram (kg) Slug (lbm)

Length [L] Meter (m) Foot (ft) Foot (ft)

Time [T] Second (s) Second (s) Second (s)

Temperature [Q] Kelvin (K) Rankine (°R) Rankine (°R)

Newton
Force [F] Pound (lb) Pound-force (lbf)
(1N=1 kg.m/s2)
Units of Force: Newton’s Law F=m.g
• SI system: Base dimensions are Length, Time, Mass,
Temperature
 A Newton is the force which when applied to a mass of 1
kg produces an acceleration of 1 m/s2.
 Newton is a derived unit: 1N = (1Kg).(1m/s2)

• BG system: Base dimensions are Length, Force, Time,

Temperature
 A slug is the mass which produces an acceleration of 1
ft/s2 when a force of 1lb is applied on it:
 Slug is a derived unit: 1slug=(1lb) (s2)/(ft) = 32.2lbm

• EE system: Base dimensions are Length, Time, Mass, Force

and Temperature
Dimensions and Units

Temperature:
K= 273 + ºC

R= 460 + ºF
EXAMPLE no.1

What is the weight of a pound mass on

earth’s surface, where the acceleration due
to gravity is 32.2ft/s2 and on the moon’s
surface where the acceleration is 5.31ft/s2 ?
MASS OR WEIGHT OF THE FLUIDS
Mass Density, ρ
- The mass per unit volume
The mass density of water at 4ºC is 1000kg/m3
(62.4lbm/ft3)

Specific Weight, γ
- The gravitational force per unit volume of fluid
The specific weight of water at 20ºC is 9.81kN/m3
SPECIFIC GRAVITY and SPECIFIC VOLUME

SPECIFIC GRAVITY,S
The ratio of the specific weight of a given fluid to the
specific weight of water at a standard reference
temperature.

SPECIFIC VOLUME
is inversely proportional to density
EXAMPLE no. 2
If 5.6m3 of oil weighs 46,800N, calculate
the following:
a. Unit weight
b. Density
c. Specific gravity
EXAMPLE no. 3
The volume of a tetrachloride having a
mass of 1200kg is 0.952m3 . Compute the
following:
a. Mass density
b. Specific weight
c. Specific gravity
EXAMPLE no. 4
An object has a specific weight of
2.23kN/m3. Compute the following:
a. Mass density
b. Mass if the volume is 0.001cu.m
c. Specific volume
1. The unit weight of water at 50ºF is 62.4pcf. If the
volume of the vessel that contains water is
3.50cu.ft
a. What will be the change in its volume when it is
heated to 160ºF(Unit weight of water at 160ºF is
61pcf)?
b. Compute the percentage change of volume.
2. c. Whatdia.
A 10m weight of water
Cylindrical must
tank has be removed
a height to
of 5m and
maintain
is full the
of original
water volume?
at 20ºC (unit weight of
water=9.789kN/m3). If the water is heated to a
temperature of 50ºC (unit weight of
water=9.689kN/m3 ).
a. Compute the weight of water.
b. What is the final volume when heated to a temp.
Of 50ºC?