FLUID MECHANICS

TOPIC 001: FUNDAMENTALS OF FLUIDS

A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
e. Viscosity () – measure of the fluid’s resistance to flow when
 
acted upon by an external force.
For Newtonian Fluids, the shear stress is given as..

Where: = coefficient of viscosity or absolute (or dynamic)

viscosity
v = velocity of the upper plate
h = distance between two plates
UNITS: = Poise = 0.1 Pa – s = 0.1 N-s/m2
A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
 

Kinematic Viscosity (v) – ratio of the absolute viscosity of a

fluid to its mass density.

UNITS: 𝑣 = ft2/sec (English) = cm2/sec or stoke (CGS) = m2/sec

A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
Problem 001:
If the viscosity of water at 70oc is 0.00402 Poise and its specific
gravity is 0.978. Determine the absolute viscosity in Pa-s and
kinematic viscosity in m2/s.

ANS: u = 4.02 x 10-4 Pa-s ; v = 4.11 x 10-7 m2/s

A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
f. Surface Tension – property of fluid which offers resistance at
the membrane or skin that forms on the free surface of the fluid
which is due to intermolecular cohesion.

Cohesion – property of liquid by virtue of which the

molecules remained attached to each other.
Adhesion – property of liquid which enables it to adhere to
another body with which it comes to contact.
A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
   Surface Tension
f.

Where: = surface tension

F = force applied to the surface film or membrane
L = width of the surface film or membrane

f.1. For spherical droplets,

Where: = pressure intensity inside the droplet

d =diameter of the droplet
A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
f.2. For hollow bubbles,
 

Where: = pressure intensity inside the droplet

d = radius of the bubble

f.2. For liquid jets,

Where: = pressure intensity inside the droplet

d = radius of the jet
A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
Problem 002:
 

An atomizer forms water droplets 45 m in diameter. Determine

the excess pressure within this droplets using = 0.0712 N/m

ANS: p = 6.33 kPa

A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
   Capillarity – rise or fall of the liquid in a small glass tube due to cohesion and
g.
adhesion.

Where: h = rise or fall height

= surface tension
= 0o (if water-glass contact)
= 140o (if mercury-glass contact)
= 26o (if kerosene-glass contact)
= specific weight of the fluid
d = diameter of the tube
A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
When a glass tube of small diameter opened at both ends is
dipped into a liquid like water, the liquid rises in the tube above
the general liquid of the outside liquid.
This phenomenon is known as capillarity or capillarity
action. This is caused by the surface tension between the liquid
and the vertical solid surface.

If the angle of contact is less than 90o,

adhesive forces dominates than cohesive forces
If the angle of contact is more than 90o,
cohesive forces dominates than adhesive forces
A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
   Capillarity – rise or fall of the liquid in a small glass tube due to cohesion and
g.
adhesion.

Where: h = rise or fall height

= surface tension
= angle of contact
= 0o (if water-glass contact)
= 140o (if mercury-glass contact)
= 26o (if kerosene-glass contact)
= specific weight of the fluid
d = diameter of the tube
A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
Problem 003:
 

Estimate the height to which the water will rise in a capillarity

tube of diameter 3mm. Use = 0.0728 N/m.

ANS: h = 9.89 x 10-3 m

A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
h. Bulk Modulus (E) – analogous to what is known as modulus
 
elasticity of solids. It is the reciprocal of compressibility,

Compressibility Factor, C or K – reciprocal of Bulk Modulus

A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
Problem 004:
 

What pressure is required to reduce the volume fo water by

0.6%. Bulk modulus of water is 2.2 Gpa.

ANS: P = 13.2 MPa

A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
i. Specific Volume (v) – volume occupied by a unit mass of
 
fluid. It is the reciprocal of density.
A. BASIC PROPERTIES OF
FLUIDS
Problem 005:
 

The specific volume of a certain gas is 0.7848 cu.m/kg. What is

its specific weight?

ANS: