SYSTEMS OF FLUIDS

Physics of Fluids: Basics

FLUIDS
• Materials that readily flow and do not have
definite shape
• Includes liquids and gases
• The science of motion involving fluids is called
fluid mechanics.
• Fluid mechanics has two major fields: fluid
statics (fluids at rest) and fluid dynamics
(fluids in motion)
Basic fluid principles
• Pascal’s Principle
• Bernoulli’s Principle
• Archimedes’ Principle
PASCAL’s PRINCIPLE
• Any change in the
pressure of an enclosed
fluid at rest is transmitted
uniformly to all points in
the fluid.

• Incompressible means the

density of the fluid
remains unchanged even
if pressure is applied.

• Blaise Pascal, French

mathematician
PASCAL PRINCIPLE

Pin = Pout
PASCAL’s Principle AT WORK:
Hydraulic press
PASCAL’s Principle AT WORK:
BRAKE SYSTEM
PASCAL’s Principle AT WORK:
dentist chair
Mechanical advantage (MA)
• A dimensionless quantity referring to the ratio
of output force and input force.
• Also known as force ratio
• No symbol or unit
• In machines, it describes their efficiency.

𝑶𝒖𝒕𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒕

𝑴𝑨 =
𝑰𝒏𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝑭𝒊𝒏
Sample problem
• A force of 10 N is applied to a circular piston with
an area of 2 cm2 in a hydraulic jack. The output
piston for the jack has an area of 100 cm2.
(a) What is the pressure in the fluid?
(b) What is the force exerted on the output piston
by the fluid?
(c) How much pressure is exerted on the output
piston?
(d) What is the mechanical advantage of the
hydraulic jack?
Sample problem
• In a hydraulic press such as
the one shown on the right,
the large piston has a
cross-sectional area A1
= 200 cm2 and the small
piston has a cross-sectional
area A2 = 5.0 cm2. If a force
of 250 N is applied to the
small piston, find the force
F1 on the large piston.
Sample problem
• The large piston supports a
dentist’s chair, and the
dentist wants to lift the
patient by stepping on a
pedal directly on top of the
small piston. Calculate the
force the dentist must exert
if the patient plus chair
have a mass of 120 kg and
the small piston has a
diameter of 1.0 cm, while
the large piston has a
diameter of 5.0 cm.
Sample problem
• A 2.4-N force is applied to
the plunger of a hypodermic
needle. If the diameter of
the plunger is 1.3 cm and
that of needle is 0.20 mm,
(a) With what force does the
fluid leave the needle?
(b) What force on the plunger
would be needed to push
fluid into a vein where the
gauge pressure is 18 mm-
Hg?
Pascal’s principle and blood
pressure reading
LET’S PRACTICE
• The large piston in a hydraulic lift has a radius
of 250 cm2 . What force must be applied to
the small piston with a radius of 25 cm2 in
order to raise a car of mass 1500 kg?

• A trash compactor pushes down with a force

of 500 N on a 3 cm2 input piston, causing a
force of 30,000 N to crush the trash. What is
the area of the output piston that crushes the
trash?
KEY POINTS
• Pascal’s Principle describes how pressure is
transmitted in a confined incompressible
fluid.
• This is the governing principle on the
operation of hydraulic machines, brake
systems, and syringes.
• Efficiency of hydraulic lifts can be described
by using the machine’s mechanical advantage.
BERNOULLI’S PRINCIPLE
• Formulated by Daniel
Bernoulli, a Swiss
mathematician
• Describes the relationship
between velocity and
pressure exerted by a
moving fluid
• In a moving fluid, velocity
varies inversely with
pressure.
• When the fluid velocity is
high, the pressure is low.
• When the fluid velocity is
low, the pressure is high.
BERNOULLI’S PRINCIPLE
EQUATION OF CONTINUITY
AIRPLANE LIFT
Spoilers
Bernoulli in bathrooms
Weather forecasting
EQUATION OF CONTINUITY AND
BLOOD FLOW
SINK OR SWIM (PART A)
Quantity 1 2 3 4 5 6
A
B
C
B–A
C–A
SINK OR SWIM (PART b)
Quantity 1 2 3 4 5 6
A
B
C
B–A
C–A
ARCHIMEDES’
PRINCIPLE
Sinking and Floating
Objects experience apparent
or temporary loss of weight
when immersed in a fluid.
Buoyant force – the force that causes the
apparent loss of weight of an object in fluids.
 Archimedes’ Principle
• Objects experience
apparent loss of weight
when immersed in a
fluid (due to buoyant
force)
• Buoyant force is equal
to the weight of
displaced fluid by the
immersed object.
• Buoyant force varies
directly with the
density of the fluid and
the volume of fluid
displaced.
 Sample Problem
• The mass of block of aluminum is 25.0 g.
(a) What is its volume?
(b) What will be the tension in a string that suspends the block when
the block is totally submerged in water? The density of aluminum
is 2700 kg/m3
SAMPLE PROBLEM
• A piece of alloy has a
measured mass of 86 g in
air and 73 g when
immersed in water. Find
its volume and its
density.
Sample problem
• A solid aluminum cylinder with 𝜌 = 2700 𝑘𝑔/
𝑚3 has a measured mass of 67 g in air and 45
g when immersed in turpentine. Determine
the density of turpentine.
APPLICATIONS OF
ARCHIMEDES’
PRINCIPLE
You feel heavier after
taking a dip from the
sea, pool or bath tub.
Seawater vs. Freshwater
Mechanism of a Submarine
Swim Bladder in Fishes
Capsizing of a Ship
Why did this happen?