LEHIGH UNIVERSITY | Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

CEE122 - FLUID MECHANICS

FALL 2023
Lab 1: Conservation of Momentum, aka Force of a Jet on a Plate
LOCATION
Lab 1 will be conducted in Room 130 of the Fritz Lab.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this experiment is to verify the principle of conservation of momentum and to
apply this principle to determine the force exerted on a plate by a jet of water. Two apparatuses are
available in the lab for performing this experiment. Apparatus 2 is similar to Apparatus 1 shown
below, with the exception of the nozzle diameter. The nozzle diameter is 8 mm for the apparatus
placed on the orange top bench and 9.8 mm for the one on the gray top bench. Check the nozzle
diameter of the unit you will be using at the beginning of the experiments.

APPARATUS
The model F1-10 Hydraulic Benches in
Fritz Lab have been modified for this
experiment. When the pump is turned on,
a jet of water flows vertically upward
through a nozzle, hits a target plate, and
exits through a bottom outlet as shown in
Fig. 1.

The vertical force on the target plate is

measured by adding weights to the pan and
adjusting the flow rate until the weight pan
is opposite the level gauge. The flow rate
is measured volumetrically using a
graduated cylinder and a stopwatch.

The velocity of the jet exiting the

nozzle, V1, may be obtained from the Figure 1. Apparatus for Lab #1, (a) photo & (b) sketch
continuity equation, given the nozzle
diameter. The velocity of the jet prior to striking the plate, V2, may be calculated with the Bernoulli
equation. The height of the water jet, z, varies; make a rough estimate with available scales.

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LEHIGH UNIVERSITY | Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

PROCEDURE
1. Check and note the nozzle's diameter, d, on the top
plate, then remove the plate by releasing the
knurled nuts from the cylinder.
2. Measure the diameter, ⌀, and identify the type of
the target plate (Fig. 2). Then, assemble the test
apparatus by attaching one of the three target plates
to the end of the shaft.
3. Reattach the top plate to the cylinder and ensure the
apparatus is level by adjusting the tightness of the
three knurled nuts.
4. Without weights on the pan, adjust the level gauge
to the zero position, ensuring it aligns with the datum
line on the pan.
5. Turn the pump on, slowly open the valve on the side Fig. 2. Target Plates Fig. 3. Weights
of the test apparatus, allow water to impinge upon
the target plate, and check if the vertical shaft is free to move.
6. Add the provided weights (Fig. 3) to the pan and adjust the flow rate until the pan returns to zero
position. The vertical force exerted on the target plate by the jet of water is measured by the added
weights.
7. Measure the height of the nozzle, z1, and the height of the point of jet impingement on the target
plate, z2. Except for the flat target plate, the height of the deflected target plate cannot be measured
directly, necessitating subsequent calculations for estimation.
8. Take flow rate measurements by measuring the time, t, it takes to fill the graduated cylinder, V,
with the water exiting the test apparatus. Take the average of three flow measurements.
9. Use four different sets of weights.
10. Repeat the above procedure for all three target plates.

REPORT
Your Laboratory Report (3-6 people as one group) will be written in accordance with Standards
for Laboratory Reports (with a date of 2010-07-21 or later; you may have seen this format in CEE
142, 222, 242, or 275). The report is due Friday November 03.

HINTS ON REQUIRED ANALYSIS

1. Use 3 different plates, each with 4 different weights and 3 trials per weight (average). Use this
information to set up your spreadsheet.
2. Sample calculations are required and will be done for the same trial so that you can check your
spreadsheet formulas.
3. The three plates deflect the jet differently, as shown in Fig. 4, causing the downward momentum
thrust to vary for each plate. Ensure to incorporate the appropriate momentum thrust term in your
momentum equation.
4. For each of the three target plates, plot the upward force versus discharge (fit a smooth line) and
downward force versus upward force (as discrete points), i.e., two different figures with 4 sets of
data per figure.

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LEHIGH UNIVERSITY | Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Fig. 4. Target Plate Diagrams

Force diagram example Momentum diagram example

Wweight
CV
CV
𝑚̇𝑣3 𝑚̇𝑣3
Ww Fcal
𝑚̇𝑣2

Wweight - the force of gravity acting on the weights added on the pan.
Ww - the force of gravity acting on the water in the control volume (CV).
Fcal - the force exerted by the jet on the plate in the direction of jet, calculated through the momentum equation.

Fig. 5. Force and Momentum diagram on a flat target plate

Appendix 1. Equations for Calculation

• Momentum equation
𝑭𝒄𝒂𝒍 = 𝝆𝑸(𝑽𝟑 − 𝑽𝟐 )

𝑚𝐿 V(𝑚𝐿)
𝑄 ( )=
𝑠 𝑡 (𝑠𝑒𝑐)

Bernoulli equation while assuming p1 = p2 = 1 atm

𝑉2 = √𝑉12 + 2𝑔(𝑧1 − 𝑧2 )

Continuity equation
𝑄
𝑉1 =
𝐴

𝑉3 = 𝑓(𝑉2 )

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LEHIGH UNIVERSITY | Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

• 𝑭𝒎𝒆𝒂 = 𝑾𝒘𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 + 𝑾𝒘
𝑊𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 ∗ 𝑔
𝑊𝑤 = 𝑉𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 ∗ 𝛾𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

How can you estimate the weight of the water in the control volume?
[Hint: Consider finding the time duration (Δt) for the jet to reach the edge of the plate from the center.
Then determine the control volume (𝐕 = Q · Δt)].

Please address the following questions in the discussion section of the report.
Question 1. Is the weight of water significant?
Question 2. The calculated force (𝑭𝒄𝒂𝒍 ) should be equal to the measured force (𝑭𝒎𝒆𝒂 ). If not, then
what is the error? Where does this error come from?
|𝑭 |−|𝑭 |
𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = 100% × 𝒄𝒂𝒍|𝑭 𝒎𝒆𝒂 |
𝒎𝒆𝒂

Appendix 2. Suggested plots

1. Q vs Fmea

Smooth trend line

2. Fcal vs Fmea

45° line

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LEHIGH UNIVERSITY | Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Appendix 3. Example raw data and calculation sheet

CEE 122 Lab 1 - Raw Data and Calculation Sheet

Constants
g= 2
9.81 m/s
d= m
Area of nozzle = m2
γwater = 9810 N/m3
ρwater = 1000 kg/m3

FLAT PLATE
⌀= m at nozzle CVin CVout in CV
Mass z12 Trial V t Q Q Qavg V1 V2 V3z Ww Fcal Fmea % error
[g] [m] - [mL] [sec] [mL/s] [m3/s] [m3/s] [m/s] [m/s] [m/s] [N] [N] [N] -
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3

120 DEGREE PLATE

⌀= m x= m
Mass z Trial V t Q Q Qavg V1 V2 V3z Ww Fcal Fmea % error
[g] [m] - [mL] [sec] [mL/s] [m3/s] [m3/s] [m/s] [m/s] [m/s] [N] [N] [N] -
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3

180 DEGREE PLATE

⌀= m x= m
Mass z Trial V t Q Q Qavg V1 V2 V3z Ww Fcal Fmea % error
[g] [m] - [mL] [sec] [mL/s] [m3/s] [m3/s] [m/s] [m/s] [m/s] [N] [N] [N] -
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3

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