Solution

(a)From the statement of the problem, it is clear that the velocity is zero in between
the moving plates.
For 0  y  3 mm , let the velocity profile is
u  Ay  B
where A, and B are constants and their values are to be determined from the boundary
conditions as given below
(i) u  0.3 m/s at y  0
(ii) u  1.5 m/s at y  3 mm
From first boundary condition (i), we find
0.3  A  0  B
or B  0.3
From second boundary condition (ii), we get
1.5  A  0.003  B
or 1.5  0.003 A  0.3
or A  600
The velocity profile is
u  600 y  0.3
For zero velocity, we have
0  600 y  0.3
0.3
or y  0.0005 m  0.5 mm
600
(b)Let F1 and F2 be the shear forces on the lower surface and upper surface of the plate
moving at 1.5 m/s respectively.
From Newton’s law of viscosity, shear stress on the lower surface of the plate, 1 is given
by
du
1  
dy
 0.025  600  15N/m 2
Shear force on the lower surface of the plate is
F1  1 A  15  0.09  1.35N
For 3 mm  y  4 mm , the velocity gradient is found to be
du 1.5
  1500 per s (in consideration of a linear velocity
dy 0.001
profile)
Shear stress on the upper surface of the plate, 2 is given by
du
2  
dy
 0.025  1500  37.5N/m 2
Shear force on the upper surface of the plate is
F2  2 A  37.5  0.09  3.375 N