Power & Energy - Tutorials

Chapter 4: Principal Fluid Properties

4a.1. Small electric heaters are commonly used to heat small rooms. Explain the energy
transformations involved during this process.
Electrical work energy is converted to sensible heat energy.

4a.2. List the forms of energy that contribute to the internal energy of a system.
Made up of sensible, latent, chemical and nuclear energy. Sensible energy due to rotational,
translational and vibration energy of atoms or molecules.

4a.3. Define the isothermal, isobaric and isochoric processes.

Isothermal = constant temperature
Isobaric = constant pressure
Isochoric = constant volume

4a.4. What is difference between gauge pressure and absolute pressure?

Absolute Pressure = Gauge Pressure ± Atmospheric Pressure

4a.5. A vacuum gauge connected to a tank reads 30kPa at a location where the
atmospheric pressure is 755mmHg. Determine the absolute pressure in the tank. Take
density of mercury as 13600 kg/m3
Pabsolute = Patmospheric ± Pgauge
Pabsolute = ı 13600 × 9.81 × 0.755ı – 30000 = 70729.08 Pa ≈ 71 kPa

4a.6. A pressure gauge connected to a tank reads 3.5bar at a location where the
atmospheric pressure is 75cmHg. Determine the absolute pressure in the tank. Take
density of mercury as 13600 kg/m3
Pabsolute = Patmospheric ± Pgauge
Pabsolute = ı 13600 × 9.81 × 0.75ı + 350000 = 450062 Pa ≈ 4.5 bar

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4a.7. The barometer of a mountain hiker reads 930mbar at the beginning of the hike
and 780mbar at the end. Determine the vertical distance climbed. You can assume an
average air density of 1.2 kg/m3.
∆P = ρg∆h → Pbeginning – Pend = ρg∆h
Pbeginning -Pend ı 0.93 - 0.78ı × 105
∆h = → ∆h = = 1274.21m
ρg 1.2 × 9.81

4a.8. Determine the pressure exerted on a diver at 30m below the free surface of the sea.
Assume the barometric pressure to be 101kPa and density of sea water to be 1030
kg/m3.
Pdiver = Patmoshperic + ρgh → Pdiver = 101000 + ı 1030 × 9.81 × 30ı = 404129 Pa ≈ 4bar

4a.9. Determine the pressure exerted on a submarine at 100m below the free surface of
the sea. Assume the barometric pressure to be 101kPa and density of sea water to be
1030 kg/m3.
Pdiver = Patmoshperic + ρgh → Pdiver = 101000 + ı 1030 × 9.81 × 100ı = 1111430 Pa ≈ 11.1bar

4a.10. A gas is contained in a vertical, frictionless piston-cylinder device. The piston has
a mass of 4kg and a cross-sectional are of 35cm2. A compressed spring above the piston
exerts a force of 60N on the piston. If the atmospheric pressure is 95kPa, determine the
pressure inside the cylinder.
Pressure = Pressure due to mass + Pressure to spring + Pressure of Atmospheric
mg Force of Spring
Pressure = + + Pressure of Atmospheric
Area Area
4 × 9.81 60
Pressure = -4 + + 95000 → Pressure = 123354.29 Pa ≈ 1.23bar
35 × 10 35 × 10-4

4a.11. What are the ordinary and absolute temperature scale in the SI system?
Ordinary = °C
Absolute = °K

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Chapter 4: Principal Fluid Properties

4b.1. Complete the following table.

Intensive or
SI Units Imperial Units
Extensive Property
Acceleration Intensive m/s2 ft/s2
Area Extensive m2 ft2
Density Intensive kg/m3 lbm/m3
Energy Extensive J Btu
Force Intensive N lbf
Length Extensive m ft or inch
Mass Extensive kg lbm
Power Extensive W hp
Pressure Intensive N/m2 psi
Specific Heat Intensive J/kg°K Btu/lbm°F
Specific Volume Intensive m3/kg ft3/lbm
Temperature Intensive °K °R
Velocity Intensive m/s ft/s or mph
Volume Extensive m3 ft3

4b.2. What is different between intensive and extensive properties?

Intensive properties do not depend upon the size (or extent) of the system whereas extensive
properties do.

4b.3. What does the term thermal equilibrium mean?

Temperature is the same throughout the system.

4b.4. Examine the following equation and determine what error might occur in the
calculation of E. What would you have to do to the right hand side of the equation to
ensure that it becomes dimensionally homogeneous? E = 25J + 7J/kg
The Energy unit is J, but in the right side of the equation, there is one term which has a unit
of J/kg. Therefore, we have to convert this unit to J (by multiple mass to this term).

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4b.5. A tank is filled with oil whose relative density is 0.85. If the volume of the tank is
2m3, determine the amount of mass in the tank.
ρLiquid kg
Relative Density of Liquid = → ρoil = 0.85 × 1000 = 850 3
ρWater m
m ı ρV ı m ı 850 ı 2 ı 1700 kg

4b.6. The average temperature of the atmosphere, Tatm (°K), is approximated as a

function of altitude by the relation:
Tatm = 288.15 – 6.5Z where Z is the altitude in km.
Determine the average temperature in °C outside an aircraft which is cruising at
12000m.
Z = 12
Tatm = 288.15 - 6.5Z ı ııı Tatm = 288.15 - 6.5 × 12 = 210.15 °K = -63ı

4b.7. A force of 7500N is exerted uniformly on a piston of 100mm diameter. What is the
pressure on the piston in kN/m2.
F 4F 4 × 7500 N kN
P= → P= 2 → P= 2 = 954929.66 2
≈ 955 2
A πd π × 0.1 m m

4b.8. An oil of specific gravity of 0.8 is contained in a vessel to a depth of 2m. What is
the gauge pressure at this depth in kN/m2.
ρLiquid kg
Relative Density of Liquid = → ρoil = 0.8 × 1000 = 800 3
ρWater m
N kN
P ı ρgh ı P ı 800ı 9.81ı 2 ı 15696 2
ı 15.696 2
m m

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