DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND BUILDENVIRONMENT

LAB 1A: Archimedes Principal AND

LAB 1B: Capillary elevation in capillary
Tubes
SURNAME : MABASO
INITIALS : NP
STUDENT NO : 222058693
COURSE : BEng Tech in Mechanical engineering
MODULE : Fluid Mechanics
DATE :

I confirm that this assignment is my own work, is not copied from any other person's work,
and has not previously submitted for assessment either at University of Johannesburg or
elsewhere.

Signed …NP Mabaso…… Date ……………14 April 2023…………………………….

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Declaration
I declare that this assignment is my own, original work. All secondary material that I used,
whether from print or electronic sources, has been carefully acknowledged and referenced
according to the Mechanical Department requirements. I have not submitted this work for
credit previously. I understand that plagiarism is unacceptable, and I have studied the
department’s plagiarism and referencing policies as set out in the Learner guide.
Student’s signature: _NP MABASO

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Acknowledgement

The author would like to pay his respect and acknowledgement to Mr as the supervisor and
coordinator respectively who played a vital role in making the study a progress. Furthermore,
I would like to thank all the lab assistance who were a direction as the exploratory practical’s
took place. Assistance likewise also originated from different specialists who made it feasible
for the viable to be triumph, the author offers his gratitude to them as well.

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Table of Contents
Declaration............................................................................................................................................2
Acknowledgement.................................................................................................................................3
Lab 1A: Introduction.............................................................................................................................5
Objectives..............................................................................................................................................6
Assumption............................................................................................................................................6
Apparatus and Materials....................................................................................................................7
Procedure............................................................................................................................................8
Results:................................................................................................................................................9
Analysis of Results...........................................................................................................................10
Discussion............................................................................................................................................11
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................12
Lab 1B: Introduction...........................................................................................................................13
Objectives............................................................................................................................................14
Assumption..........................................................................................................................................14
Apparatus and Materials......................................................................................................................15
Procedure..........................................................................................................................................16
Results:..............................................................................................................................................17
Analysis of Results...........................................................................................................................18
Discussion..........................................................................................................................................19

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Lab 1A: Introduction

Archimedes’ principle states that for anybody partially or completely submerged in a fluid is
buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body. The weight of an
object acts downward, and the buoyant force provided by the displaced fluid acts upward.
The fluid displaced has a weight W = mg. The mass can then be expressed in terms of the
density and its volume, m = pV where density of an object, p = m/v can be found.
Archimedes principle applies to object of all densities. If the density of the object is greater
than that of the fluid, the object will sink. If the density of the object is equal to that of the
fluid, the object will either sink or float. If the density of the object is less than that of the
fluid, the object will float.
Whenever a solid body is immersed in a fluid, it displaces a volume of fluid equal to its own
volume. Since the displaced fluid was in equilibrium with the surrounding fluid before being
displaced, meaning the buoyant force on the displaced fluid was equal to its

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Objectives

In this lab we will study the buoyant force. We will study the supposed relationship between
the amount of fluid displaced by an object and the amount of force that the displaced fluid
pushes back. In order to test this, we will use two different material objects brass bucket and
cylinder to displace a calculated about of water. We will measure the amount of force that is
pushed up at the objects using a force sensor. We will then use this data to calculate the
density of water. After the value is obtained we will compare our values, for both materials,
with the known values of water. We also calculate density by taking the slope of a best fit
line representing the force exerted by the mass and the depth of that mass in the water. The
slope will be divided by the product of cross sectional area of the mass and gravity. 

Assumption

1.The up thrust is equal to the gravitational mass of water displaces by the Cylinder.
2.Acceleration due to gravity=9.81 m/s^2.
3.Fb=pvg, where Fb is the up thrust (Buoyant Force), p is the density, v is the volume and
g is the acceleration due to gravity.
4.Fb=mg, where m is the mass

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Apparatus and Materials

-Archimedes apparatus (machined bucket and cylinder)

-Level balance
-Displacement vessel

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Procedure

1. The bucket and cylinder were suspended by a fine thread from the hook on the
underside of the pan on lever balance.
2. The mass of the bucket and cylinder was noted, with the balanced set to operate on
the 0-250gm range.
3. The displacement vessel was filled with fluid then it was allowed to drain to the level
of spout on the side. When the level has settled place an empty plastic contains under
the spout before proceeding.
4. The cylinder was completely immersed in the displacement vessel and the mass was
noted again.
5. The cylinder was removed from the displacement vessel and the mass of the bucket
was noted.
6. The becket was completely filled with water and the mass was noted.

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Results:

CONFIGURATION Mass (G)

Bucket and cylinder in air M1=172

Bucket with cylinder immersed in water M2=161

Bucket only in air M3=92

Bucket filled with water in air M4=101

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Analysis of Results

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Discussion

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Conclusion

After having performed the experiment, our hypothesis regarding the validity of Archimedes’
principle where all supported by every part of the experiment as all the percent differences
where extremely low and Parts 1 and 4 were zero. Any source of potential error if any, is
systematic as the scale used for part 1 through 3 displayed measurements of mass with whole
numbers. However, to combat this source of error in Part 4, a new scale which displayed
decimals was utilized to measure a more accurate number for the mass of the metallic sphere
in the unknown liquid. Any slight change in mass of the object could have affected the
calculated specific gravity, density and in turn increasing the percent difference thus
decreasing accuracy. To conclude, the results from this experiment support the fact that the
relationship between specific gravity, density and buoyant force can be tied to the definition
of Archimedes’ principle.

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Lab 1B: Introduction

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Objectives

To measure the effect of capillary elevation inside capillary tubes by immersing tubes with
different capillary bore diameters into water and comparing the elevation of the level inside
the tubes due to surface.

Assumption

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Apparatus and Materials

 Glass capillary tubes

 Wetting agent
 Pencil and water proof card
 Methylated spirits

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 Procedure

1. The level of water was observed in each of the tube.

2. The small meniscus around the outside diameter of the tubes was observed where the
water level rises slightly due to surface tension in the water.
3. The water through was filled to the level of the bottom support plate and the capillary
tubes was inserted.
4. The water level was observed inside each of the tubes rises,redusing bored sizes
producing more elevation.
5. A card was placed behind the capillary tubes.
6. The card was marked with the height of the capillary elevation in each tube.
7. The capillary rise was measured for each diameter of the tube and the measurements
were recorded.

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Results:

Internal Diameter of the tube Measured Capillary Rise H (mm)

ID(mm)

0.5 21

0.8 17.5

1.1 13

1.7 12.5

2 12

2.2 12

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 Analysis of Results

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Discussion

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Conclusion

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