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Fluid Mechanics 2A (STRCIA2)

Module Introduction
Introduction to Fluid Mechanics
Chapter 1: The Nature of Fluids and the Study of Fluid Mechanics
by Thabang Mafokoane (tmafokoane@uj.ac.za)
13 February 2024

Module Introduction

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Staff
Lecturer
Thabang Mafokoane
Office: B4 Lab 222
Telephone: (011) 559-3327
Email: tmafokoane@uj.ac.za
Consultation: Mondays 9:00–10:30,
otherwise by appointment via email.

Tutors: Charmaine, Dorian and Michelle

Class representative: Nkhensani
Email etiquettes: Relevant and descriptive subject line (STRCIA2: Xxxxx). Email start with
an opener, body must be clear, purposeful, professional and polite. Your surname and initials
should be included in the email. Replies (conversation).

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Introduction to Fluid Mechanics

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Objectives

1. Differentiate between liquid, gas and solid

2. Define fluid

3. Differentiate between fluid and solid

4. Define Fluid Mechanics (FM)

5. Application of FM

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Problem-Solving Technique
1. Problem Statement: In your own words- briefly state the problem; key given
info; quantities to be found.
2. Schematic: Draw a realistic sketch of the physical system involved, and list the
relevant information on the figure.
3. Assumptions and Approximations: State any appropriate
assumptions and approximations made to simplify the
problem to make it possible to obtain a solution.
4. Physical Laws: Apply all the relevant basic
physical laws and principles and reduce
them to their simplest form.

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Problem-Solving Technique
5. Properties: Determine the unknown properties at known states necessary to
solve the problem from property relations or tables.

6. Calculations: Substitute the known quantities into the simplified relations and
perform the calculations to determine the unknowns. Units consistency.

7. Reasoning, Verification, & Discussion:

Check to make sure that the results obtained
are reasonable and intuitive, and verify the
validity of the questionable assumptions.
Repeat the calculations if unreasonable.

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States of Matter

a) molecules are at relatively fixed positions –solid phase

b) molecules move about each other –liquid phase
c) molecules move randomly –gas phase

➢ Unlike a liquid, a gas does not form a free surface, and

it expands to fill the entire available space.
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What is a Fluid?
• Generally – fluid means things which can flow
• In Engineering –
➢ fluid is a substance that deforms
continuously under the application
of a shear stress no matter how
small the shear stress may be,
➢ solid can resist applied shear
stress by static deflect

• Fluid can be either liquid or gas.

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Fluid Mechanics (FM)

➢ Mechanics – the oldest physical science that deals with both stationary and moving
bodies under the influence of forces.

➢ FM – the study of the behaviour of fluids, either at rest or in motion.

➢ the study of fluids at rest = fluid statics.
➢ the study of fluids in motion where pressure forces are not considered = fluid
kinematics.
➢ the study of fluids in motion where pressure forces are considered = fluid dynamics.

➢ Hydraulics – deals liquid flows in pipes and open channel.

➢ Aerodynamics – deals with the flow of gases over bodies such as aircraft, rockets and
automobiles.
➢ Hydrology – deal with natural occurring flows.

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Application of FM
1) Pipeline: friction losses, pressure drop

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Application of FM
2) Boats and
Channels:
Buoyancy,
stability, open
channel flow

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Application of FM
3) Aeronautics and Aerodynamics: drag, lift,
engine design

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Application of FM
4. Homan body:
cardiovascular system

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Application of FM

5. Safety: fire

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Chapter 1: The Nature of Fluids and the Study of Fluid Mechanics

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Outline

✓ Section 1.3 The SI system

✓ Section 1.5.1 Weight & mass
✓ Section 1.6 Temperature
✓ Section 1.7 Units conversion
✓ Section 1.8 Definition of pressure
✓ Section 1.9 Compressibility
✓ Section 1.10 Density, specific weight and specific gravity
✓ Section 1.11 Surface tension

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Objectives

1. Identify “SI” units for basic quantities

2. Define the relationship between force & mass

3. Describe four important properties of fluids

4. Define pressure

5. Define density, specific weight, and specific gravity

6. Identify relationship between density, specific weight, and specific gravity

7. Define surface tension, and capillary effect

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The International
System of Units (1.3)
• In any technical work, always state the units of the physical
properties measured
• Ultimate reference for standard use of metric units is the International
System of Units (SI)
• 4 primary dimensions in fluid mechanics are: length (m), time (s),
mass (kg) & temperature (K)
• Other secondary units can be derived
• “SI” units for basic quantities are:
length (m), time (s), mass (kg) & force (N)
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The International
System of Units (1.3)
• Derived unit for force is: F = ma = kg.m/s2 = N

• Similarly: m = F/a = N/(m/s2) = N.s2/m

• Prefixes
✓ giga (G) → 109 = 1 000 000 000
✓ mega (M) → 106 = 1 000 000
✓ kilo (k) → 103 = 1 000
✓ milli (m) → 10-3 = 0,001
✓ micro (µ) → 10-6 = 0,000 001
✓ nano (n) → 10-9 = 0,000 000 001
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Weight and Mass (1.5.1)

• Mass = quantity of a substance (kg)
• Weight = force (N)

• Newton’s law of gravitation: F = ma

• Weight (w) implies acceleration (a) = gravitational acceleration (g)

• Thus, w = mg
in Newtons (N)
use g = 9.81 m/s2

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Example
F
What is the force exerted on the wire?
w = m∙g
= mass(kg) ∙ acceleration due to gravity (m/s2)
= 5,6 kg ∙ 9,81 m/s2
= 54,936 kg∙m/s2
= 54,936 N
5,6 kg
Thus 5,6 kg of rock weighs 54,936 N

What is the mass of the rock?

F = 8,25 N
mass(kg) = weight (kg∙m/s2) / acceleration due to gravity (m/s2)
= 8,25 kg∙m/s2 / 9,81 m/s2
=0,841 kg ? kg
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Temperature (1.6)
• Often measured in ºC (degree Celsius) OR ºF (degree Fahrenheit)

• Water freezes at 0 ºC and boils at 100 ºC

• Water freezes at 32 ºF and boils at 212 ºF

• Relationship: 1 ºC = 1.8 ºF
• Thus:
TF = 1.8 TC + 32 OR TC = (TF – 32) / 1.8
• For this module, use ºC when working with SI units

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Temperature (1.6)
• SI unit for temperature = Kelvin (K)
• Absolute zero = where all molecular motion stops, thus 0 K
• Water freezes at 273.15 K and boils at 373.15 K
• TK = TC + 273,15

• Another absolute reference measure = ºR (degree Rankine)

• Absolute zero at 0 ºR
• TR = TF + 459,67

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Units Conversion (1.7)

• Use unit-cancelation procedure:
1. Solve the equation algebraically for the desired term
2. Decide on the proper units for the result
3. Substitute known values, including units
4. Cancel units that appear in both the numerator and the
denominator of any term
5. Use conversion factors to eliminate unwanted units and obtain the
proper units as decided in Step 2
6. Perform the calculation

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Definition of Pressure (1.8)

• the amount of force exerted on a unit area of a substance

• Equation: p = F / A
= N / m2
= pascal (Pa)

• Can also be measured in bar: 1 bar = 100 kPa

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Definition of Pressure (1.8)

• 2 important principles about pressure (Pascal’s Law)

1) Pressure acts uniformly

in all directions on a
small volume of a fluid

2) Pressure acts
perpendicular to the
boundary where fluid
confined by solid boundaries
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Compressibility (1.9)
• the change in volume (V) due to change in pressure (P)
• Quantity used to measure this phenomenon: bulk modulus of
elasticity (E)
− P
E=
(V )
V
Example 1.4
Compute the change in pressure that must be applied to water to change its volume
by 1.0 percent.
1% of volume change → ∆V/V = -0.01
Thus: ∆p = -E (∆V/V) = -2 179 (-0.01) = 21.79 MPa

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Density, Specific Weight and

Specific Gravity (1.10)
• Density (or mass density) = the amount of mass per unit volume of
a substance
• Equation: ρ = m/V
Where m = mass (kg) and V = volume (m3)
Thus, ρ is measured kg/m3

• Specific weight (or weight density) = the amount of weight per unit
volume of a substance
• Equation: γ = w/V
Where w = weight (N) and V = volume (m3)
Thus, γ is measured N/ m3
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Density, Specific Weight and

Specific Gravity (1.10)
• For Specific gravity (sg), the reference fluid is pure water at 4 ºC
a) sg = ρs / ρw @ 4 ºC, or
b) sg = γs / γw @ 4 ºC

Where: ρw@ 4ºC = 1000kg/m3 & γw @ 4ºC = 9.81kN/m3

Thus: sg = γs / 9.81 kN/m3 or sg = ρs / 1000 kg/m3

• See Appendix A for properties of water

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Relation between ρ and γ (1.10.1)

• γ = w/V [Definition of specific weight]

• But w = mg [Newton’s law]

• Thus γ = mg/V

• But ρ = m/V [Definition of density]

• Therefore: γ = ρg

Do Example 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7

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Surface Tension (1.11)

• tensile force acting on the surface of a liquid in contact with a gas or
on the surface of two immiscible liquids such that the contact surface
behaves like a membrane (or thin film)
• It is also the reason that water
droplets assume a nearly
spherical shape
• Measured as work per unit
area required to move lower
molecules to the surface of
the liquid (N/m)
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Surface Tension (1.11)

• Capillary Effect: another interesting

consequence of surface tension

• It is the rise or fall of a liquid in a

small-diameter tube inserted into
the liquid.
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A Day in the life of a Fluid Dynamicist

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAN3QhzKAa0&t=101s
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Exercises
1.1 Convert 2250 millimeters to meters.
Ans. 2 250 x 10-3 mm = 2.25 m
1.2 Convert 2500 square millimeters to square meters.
Ans. 2.5 x 10-3 m2
1.7 An automobile is moving at 100 kilometers per hour.
Calculate its speed in meters per second.

Ans.
1.17 A body moving with constant velocity obeys the relationship s = vt, where s =
distance, v = velocity, and t = time.
A car travels 0.80 km in 12.5 s. Calculate its average speed in m/s.
Ans.

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Exercises
1.45. Compute the pressure (in MPa) produced in the oil in a closed cylinder by a
piston exerting a force of 21.0 kN on the enclosed oil. The piston has a diameter of
84 mm.

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Exercises
1.83.

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References
1. Cengel. Y.A and Cimbala, J.M. (2017). Fluid Mechanics: Fundamentals and
Applications (third edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.

2. Mafokoane, TT. (2024). Fluid Mechanics 2A: Learning Guide. Johannesburg:

University of Johannesburg.

3. Mott. R.L and Untener, J.A. (2017). Applied Fluid Mechanics (seventh edition,
global edition). Boston: Pearson Education Limited.

4. Munson, B.R. et al. (2013). Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics (seventh edition).

New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

5. White, F. M., 2009. Fluid Mechanics. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

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Thought for the day

“Take 100% responsibility for your life”

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