FLUID MECHANICS

LESSON NUMBER 2
ENPHYS30
Prepared by: Engr. Dale P. Cataquis
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Learn the concepts of density and specific gravity;

2. Define pressure in the context of fluids;
3. Differentiate absolute and gauge pressure;
4. Calculate the buoyant force that a fluid exerts on an object
immersed in the fluid;
5. Use Bernoulli’s equation to relate pressure and flow rates;
6.Differentiate laminar and turbulent flow regimes and describe
how viscosity and flow rate are related to them.
 FLUID MECHANICS DEFINE

Fluid mechanics is the study of the behavior of liquids and gases,

and particularly the forces that they produce. Many scientific
disciplines have an interest in fluid mechanics. For example,
meteorologists try to predict the motion of the fluid atmosphere
swirling around the planet so that they can forecast the weather.

Fluid mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the

mechanics of fluids (liquids, gases, and plasmas) and the forces on
them.
 FLUID MECHANICS

Key Topics Covered in Fluid Mechanics

 Density
 Pressure in a Fluid
 Buoyancy
 Fluid Flow
 Bernoulli’s Equation
 Viscosity and Turbulence
 DENSITY

 Density is a physical property of fluids that describes

the amount of mass per unit volume. In fluid mechanics,
density is an important factor in determining fluid
behavior, including buoyancy and pressure.
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

A rectangular block of wood measures 20 cm by 30 cm by

40 cm and has a mass of 12 kg. Calculate:

a) The density of the wood

b) The mass of another block of the same wood that

measures 40 cm by 60 cm by 80 cm.
S P E C I F I C G R AV I T Y

 Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference
substance at a specified temperature and pressure. The reference substance is usually water at
4 degrees Celsius and atmospheric pressure, which is assigned a specific gravity of 1.000.
 It is measured using a hydrometer and is important in various scientific and engineering
applications, such as identifying minerals, determining the purity of liquids, and designing
structures and equipment. The specific gravity of a substance can also provide information
about its physical properties, but it can vary depending on the conditions under which it is
measured.
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

 A 500 mL sample of a liquid has a mass of 900 grams. A

piece of metal with a mass of 100 grams is added to the liquid
and the combined mass is found to be 950 grams. The
specific gravity of the metal is 5.0. What is the specific
gravity of the liquid before the metal was added?
 PRESSURE IN FLUID

 Pressure is the force per unit area exerted by a fluid.

The pressure in a fluid depends on its depth, density,
and gravity. The study of pressure in fluids is important
for understanding fluid behavior, such as flow rates and
fluid dynamics. The basic formula for pressure is
force per unit area.

The SI unit is ‘pascals (Pa)’.

1 Pa = 1N/m2
  An 80 kg metal 2 m long
and with each end of area 25
stands vertically on one
SAMPLE PROBLEM
end. What pressure exert on
the floor?
 PRESSURE INSIDE THE
LIQUID

The pressure due to liquid act on the surface below

depth h is given by

where: h = depth
ρ = the density of liquid
g = acceleration due to gravity
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

A tank is filled with water to a

height of 2 meters. What is the
pressure at the bottom of the tank?
The density of water is 1000 kg/m3,
and acceleration due to gravity is
9.8 m/s2.
 TYPES OF PRESSURE

 Atmospheric Pressure
 Absolute Pressure
 Differential Pressure
 Gauge Pressure
 AT M O S P H E R I C P R E S S U R E

 Atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted by the atmosphere on

the surface of the earth. It is a type of gauge pressure and is often
referred to as "barometric pressure". It is measured in units of force
per unit area, such as pounds per square inch (psi) or pascals (Pa).
 The earth’s atmospheric air is surrounded by a layer of gases and so
this air surrounding the earth exerts a pressure known as
the ‘atmospheric pressure’.
 Its value at sea level (standard atmospheric pressure) is
101325 Pa or 101.325 kPa
14.7 lbs/in2
1 atm
760 mmhg
 ABSOLUTE PRESSURE

 Absolute pressure is the total pressure exerted by a fluid, including the

pressure exerted by the atmosphere. Absolute pressure is measured
relative to a perfect vacuum, which has an absolute pressure of zero.
Absolute pressure is used in many engineering applications, such as in
the design of pressure vessels and piping systems. It is measured in
units of force per unit area, such as psi or Pa.
 Absolute pressure formula () is given by,

Where:
is the gauge pressure
is atmospheric pressure
 DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE

 Differential pressure is the difference in pressure

between two points in a fluid system. It is often used to
measure flow rates in fluid systems, such as in pipes or
ducts. Differential pressure is measured in units of force
per unit area, such as psi or Pa.
 Differential pressure is more complex than Gauge or
Absolute pressure as it has two variables.
GAUGE PRESSURE

 Gauge pressure is the pressure measured relative to atmospheric pressure. It is often used in applications where the atmospheric
pressure is the reference pressure, such as in tire pressure gauges. Gauge pressure is measured in units of force per unit area,
such as psi or Pa.
 Gauge pressure is often reported because it can be measured directly, without measuring the atmospheric pressure. For
example, gauge pressure may be experienced by measuring the air pressure of a tire, using a pressure gauge.
 Pressure gauge formula () is given by,

Where:
is the gauge pressure
is atmospheric pressure
is the absolute pressure
  If at sea level PA=14.6psi,
where psi means
pounds per square inch,
and the absolute
SAMPLE PROBLEM
pressure in a tire is 44
psi, P=44psi, calculate
the pressure in tires.
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

A block of aluminum “weighs” 25 g in air.

(a) What is its volume?

(b) What will be the tension in a string that

suspends the block when the block totally
submerged in water? The density of
aluminum is 2700 kg/.
 B O U YA N C Y

 Buoyancy is the upward force exerted on an object when it is immersed

in a fluid. Buoyancy is dependent on the density of the fluid and the
volume of the object. Understanding buoyancy is important for
designing ships, submarines, and other objects that interact with fluids.
 Buoyancy is the force that enables boats and beach balls to float
on water. The term buoyant force refers to the upward-
directed force that a fluid (either a liquid or a gas) exerts on an
object that is partially or completely immersed in the fluid.
Buoyant force also explains why we can lift objects underwater
more easily than on land.
B U O YA N T F O R C E F O R M U L A

Where: V = volume of the object inside the fluid

ρ = density of the fluid
g = gravitational acceleration
SAMPLE PROBLEM  Dimensions of a block of wood are given
as length = 2.5 m, width = 0.5 m, and
height = 0.4 m. If the block is in the water
completely submerged, what will be the
buoyant force acting on it? The density of
water is given as 1000 kg/ and g = 9.81
N/kg.
ARCHIMEDES’ PRINCIPLE

 Archimedes' principle states that the buoyant force on an object immersed in a fluid is equal to
the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. In other words, when an object is placed in a
fluid, it experiences an upward force that is equal to the weight of the fluid that it displaces. This
principle is named after the ancient Greek mathematician and scientist Archimedes, who
discovered it while investigating the properties of floating objects.
 The principle is often used to explain why some objects float while others sink in fluids, such as
water. If an object is less dense than the fluid it is placed in, it will displace an amount of fluid
that weighs more than the object itself, resulting in a net upward force that causes it to float.
Conversely, if an object is more dense than the fluid it is placed in, it will displace an amount of
fluid that weighs less than the object, resulting in a net downward force that causes it to sink.
A R C H I M E D E S ’ P R I N C I P L E E Q U AT I O N

(weight of the body)

(weight of the liquid displaced)

Where: = weight of the body

= weight of the liquid
W = weight of the body immersed wholly or partially in a liquid at rest
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

 A metal cube has a weight of 200 N in air. When it is

completely immersed in water, it appears to weigh only
150 N. Calculate the volume of water displaced by the
cube and the density of the metal.
 FLUID FLOW

Fluid flow refers to the movement of a fluid through a

system or object. There are two types of fluid flow: laminar
flow and turbulent flow. Laminar flow is characterized by
smooth, regular movement, while turbulent flow is
characterized by irregular, chaotic movement.
 MAIN BRANCHES OF FLUID
MECHANICS

 Fluid Statics - also known as hydrostatics, deals with the behavior of fluids at
rest or in equilibrium. In fluid statics, the fluid is not moving, and therefore
there is no net force acting on it. Fluid statics is concerned with the study of
pressure, buoyancy, and other related properties of fluids at rest.

 Fluid Dynamics - deals with the behavior of fluids in motion. It is concerned

with the study of how fluids move and interact with objects and systems. Fluid
dynamics involves the study of flow rates, pressure changes, turbulence, and
other related properties of fluids in motion.

Both of these branches of fluid mechanics are important for understanding the
behavior of fluids and their interactions with objects and systems.
 F L U I D S TAT I C S

Fluid statics or hydrostatics is the branch of fluid mechanics that

studies fluids at rest. It embraces the study of the conditions under which
fluids are at rest in stable equilibrium; and is contrasted with fluid dynamics,
the study of fluids in motion. Hydrostatics offers physical explanations for
many phenomena of everyday life, such as why atmospheric
pressure changes with altitude, why wood and oil float on water, and why the
surface of water is always level whatever the shape of its container.
Hydrostatics is fundamental to hydraulics, the engineering of equipment for
storing, transporting and using fluids. It is also relevant to some aspects
of geophysics and astrophysics (for example, in understanding plate
tectonics and anomalies in the Earth's gravitational field), to meteorology,
to medicine (in the context of blood pressure), and many other fields.
 FLUID DYNAMICS

Fluid dynamics is a subdiscipline of fluid mechanics that deals

with fluid flow—the science of liquids and gases in motion. Fluid
dynamics offers a systematic structure—which underlies these practical
disciplines—that embraces empirical and semi-empirical laws derived
from flow measurement and used to solve practical problems. The solution to
a fluid dynamics problem typically involves calculating various properties of
the fluid, such as velocity, pressure, density, and temperature, as functions of
space and time. It has several subdisciplines itself, including aerodynamics
(the study of air and other gases in motion) and hydrodynamics (the study of
liquids in motion). Fluid dynamics has a wide range of applications, including
calculating forces and movements on aircraft, determining the mass flow
rate of petroleum through pipelines, predicting evolving weather patterns,
understanding nebulae in interstellar space and modeling explosions. Some
fluid-dynamical principles are used in traffic engineering and crowd dynamics.
 A P P L I C AT I O N O F F L U I D
DYNAMICS

Fluid Dynamics can be applied in the following ways:

• Fluid dynamics is used to calculate the forces
acting upon the aero plane.
• It is used to find the flow rates of material such as
petroleum from pipelines.
• It can also be used in traffic engineering (traffic
treated as continuous liquid flow)
  Bernoulli’s equation is a fundamental principle in fluid
BERNOULLI’S mechanics that describes the relationship between fluid
E Q U AT I O N pressure and velocity. It states that as fluid velocity
increases, pressure decreases, and vice versa.
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

 A fluid is flowing through a pipe with a cross-sectional

area of 0.1 m2. At one point in the pipe, the velocity of
the fluid is 5 m/s, the pressure is 100 kPa, and the
height above a reference point is 10 m. At another point
in the pipe, the velocity of the fluid is 2 m/s, the
pressure is 110 kPa, and the height above the reference
point is 20 m. Assuming no energy losses due to
friction, calculate the Bernoulli's constant and the
velocity at a third point in the pipe where the pressure is
105 kPa and the height above the reference point is 15
m.
 VISCOSITY AND
TURBULENCE

Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. It is an

important factor in determining fluid behavior, including
laminar and turbulent flow. Turbulence refers to the chaotic
movement of fluids, which is caused by the interaction of
multiple flows. Turbulence is an important factor in many
fluid-related processes, including mixing and heat transfer.
 FLOW OF VISCOUS FLUID IN
THE PIPE

 The Fluids that have higher viscosity are known as

viscous fluids and they will have very less velocity
flow. The most common and general examples of
viscous fluids are:
honey
grease
oil.
FLUID FLOW OR DISCHARGE
(Q)

When a fluid that fills a pipe flows through the

pipe with an average velocity v, the flow or
discharge, Q is
Q = Av
where A is the cross-sectional area of the pipe.
The units of Q are .
Sometimes Q is called the rate of flow or the
discharge rate.
 Oil flows through a pipe 8 cm
in diameter at an average
SAMPLE PROBLEM velocity of 4 m/s. What is the
flow Q in and ?
 Suppose an incompressible (constant-
density) fluid fills a pipe and Flow through
it. Suppose further that the cross-sectional
area of the pipe is A1 at one point and A2 at
another. Since the flow through A1 must
E Q U AT I O N O F
equal the flow through A2, one has
CONTINUITY
Q = A1v1 = A2v2 = constant

where v1 and v2 are the average fluid

velocities over A1 and A2 respectively.
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

 A 14 cm inner diameter water main furnishes water

(through intermediate pipes) to a one cm faucet pipe. If
the average velocity in the faucet pipe is 3 cm/s, what
will be the average velocity it causes in the water main?
VISCOSITY OF A FLUID

Viscosity (ŋ) of a fluid is a measure of how difficult it is to cause the fluid to flow. A very
viscous fluid such as tar, has a high viscosity. Suppose that a nonelastic fluid is sheared
between two plates, as shown in Figure. If the velocity v of the upper plate is not too large,
the fluid shears in the way indicated. The viscosity ŋ is related to the force F required to
produce the velocity v by

F=
Where:
A = area of either plate
d = distance between the plates
ŋ = or
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

 A fluid with a viscosity of 0.01 Pa is

flowing through a pipe with a diameter of
0.1 m. A force of 50 N is required to
produce a velocity of 2 m/s in the fluid.
Calculate the flow rate of the fluid.
TYPES OF FLUID FLOW

 Laminar flow - characterized by smooth and ordered fluid motion, in which the fluid particles move
in parallel layers along the direction of flow. In this regime, the velocity of the fluid varies smoothly
across the cross-section of the pipe, and there is little or no mixing of fluid particles between
adjacent layers. Laminar flow is often observed at low velocities and low flow rates, and is
influenced by the viscosity of the fluid, which tends to resist the tendency of the fluid to mix and
become turbulent.
 Turbulent flow- characterized by chaotic and irregular fluid motion, in which the fluid particles
move in random and unpredictable directions. In this regime, the velocity of the fluid varies widely
across the cross-section of the pipe, and there is a significant amount of mixing and exchange of
fluid particles between adjacent layers. Turbulent flow is often observed at high velocities and high
flow rates, and is influenced by factors such as the viscosity of the fluid, the roughness of the pipe
wall, and the flow geometry.
V I S C O S I T Y, F L O W R AT E A N D F L U I D F L O W
 The relationship between viscosity and flow rate is closely tied to the transition from laminar to turbulent
flow. At low flow rates and low velocities, the viscosity of the fluid dominates and promotes laminar flow, as
the fluid particles tend to move in parallel layers with minimal mixing. As the flow rate increases, however,
the fluid particles become more agitated and turbulent, and the viscosity of the fluid becomes less influential.
At some critical flow rate, the fluid flow transitions from laminar to turbulent, and the flow becomes more
chaotic and unpredictable.
 In general, the transition from laminar to turbulent flow is influenced by the Reynolds number, which is a
dimensionless parameter that relates the inertial forces of the fluid to the viscous forces. At low Reynolds
numbers, the viscous forces dominate and promote laminar flow, while at high Reynolds numbers, the inertial
forces dominate and promote turbulent flow. The exact value of the Reynolds number at which the transition
occurs depends on various factors, such as the viscosity of the fluid, the pipe diameter, and the flow velocity.
 A P P L I C AT I O N

It has applications in a wide range of disciplines, including:

- Mechanical - Geophysics
- Astrophysics - Civil
- Oceanography - Biology
- Chemical - Meteorology
- Biomedical Engineering
GROUP ASSIGNMENT

1. A 60 kg performer balances on a cane. The end of the cane in contact with the floor has an area
of 0.92 . Find the pressure in MPa exerted on the floor by the cane. Neglect the weight of the
cane.

2. A solid piece of aluminum (ρ = 2.70 g/) “weighs) 8.35 g in air. If it is now submerged in a vat
of oil (ρ = 0.75 g/) by a thread, what will be the tension in Newton in the thread?

3. Oil flows through a 4 cm i. d. pipe at an average velocity of 2.5 m/s. find the flow in and .
4. The velocity of glycerin in a 5 cm i. d. pipe is 0.54 m/s. Find the velocity in a 3 cm i. d. pipe
that connects with it, both pipes flowing full.
 THE END!!

LESSON NUMBER 2
ENPHYS30

Prepared by: Engr. Dale P. Cataquis