Fluids in Motion

Sections 12-6, 12-7, 12-8

PheT Simulations
 Fluids in Motion
• Every element of a moving fluid has kinetic energy.
• Kinetic energy ( ΔK ) of a small element of fluid of
volume ΔV that is moving with a speed v is:

1
∆K = ( ∆m ) v 2
2
• Kinetic energy per unit volume of the fluid is therefore:

∆K 1  ∆m  2 1 2
=   v = ρ v
∆V 2  ∆V  2
Gravitational potential energy ( ΔU ) of a of a small
element of fluid of volume ΔV that is at a height h from a
reference height (e.g. the ground level)

( m) g h
∆U =∆

Potential energy per unit volume of a

fluid is :

∆U  ∆m 
= gh= ρ gh
∆V  ∆V 
Two Properties of Ideal Fluids
(1) The fluid is incompressible

The density of the fluid is constant and does not

change with a change in pressure.

• Excellent assumption for liquids

• Not a good assumption for gases, unless change in
pressure is very small.
(2) The fluid is non-viscous
We neglect frictional forces between adjacent layers of
a moving fluid as well as between the walls of a
containing structure and the fluid.

Honey is more viscous than water

• A good assumption for gases A viscous flow is like

flowing honey
• In general not so good for liquids
• A good assumption when flow area is large.
A reasonable assumption for water flowing through a
tap but a bad assumption for blood flowing through
small arteries
Two Properties of an Ideal Flow
(1) Flow is steady (or laminar)
Streamline: The path taken by a small element of fluid
as it passes moves along with the rest of the fluid.
In a steady flow, streamlines do not cross each other.

Laminar Flow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p08_KlTKP50&NR=1
(2) The flow is not turbulent
• No region of the fluid has angular velocity.
• Fluid elements do not move along irregular paths

• Whirlpools are not allowed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl75BGg9qdA
http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=NplrDarMDF8
Flow Rate (Q)
Flow rate (Q) is defined as the volume of fluid that
flows per unit time through a surface area.

A tap of water fills a 0.5 L glass in 15

seconds. What is the volume flow
rate of the tap?

volume flowing 0.5 L 500 cm3

Q= = =
time taken 15 s 15 s

cm3
= 33.3
s
Flow Rate through a pipe

Fluid speed = v

Cross-sectional area A

The volume V of the fluid that passes through any section of the
pipe in time t is:
V= 𝐴𝐴 (𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣)
The flow rate (volume per unit time) through the pipe is:

𝑉𝑉
𝑄𝑄 = = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑡𝑡
Equation of Continuity
What goes in must come out!

The amount of fluid that enters one section of a pipe in a

given amount of time must be equal to the amount of fluid
that leaves another section of pipe in the same time,
provided that there are no other sources of fluid or sinks in
the pipe
The mass of the fluid entering from the
left in time ∆t

The mass of the fluid leaving

from the right in the same time
 Equation of Continuity
For continuous flow of a fluid through a region with no sources
or sinks of fluid the flow rate remains constant

𝐴𝐴1 v1 = 𝐴𝐴2 v2 𝐴𝐴 v = constant

Consequences of Continuity Equation

• When passing through a constricted area the fluid speed increases
• When passing through a wider area the fluid speed decreases
CQ-1

Water flows at speed v through a pipe of radius R. It enters a

narrower section of the pipe where the radius of the pipe is R/2.
What is the speed of the water through the narrower section?

A. v/2
B. v
C. 2v
D. 4v
E. zero
CQ-2

The unknown (?) volume flow rate through the pipe is:

A. 0.5 cm3/s
B. 1.0 cm3/s
C. 5.0 cm3/s
D. 2.0 cm3/s
E. 25.0 cm3/s
PROBLEM
Water flows down an open tap. The diameter of the tap is 2.5 cm and the flow rate
is such so as to fill a 1.0 L container in 15.0 seconds.
(1) Find the speed of the water as it leaves the tap.
(2) What is the speed of the water at 35.0 cm below the tap?
(3) Find the diameter of the stream 35.0 cm below the tap.
PROBLEM

Blood flows from arterioles to the capillaries. A typical arteriole has

diameter of 0.015 mm and carries blood at a flow rate of 5.5×10-6
cm3/s.

(a) What is the speed of blood in an arteriole?

(b) Suppose that an arteriole branches into 100 capillaries, each of
diameter 4.0×10-6 m. What is the blood speed in the capillaries?
 Bernoulli’s Equation
For an incompressible, non-viscous fluid in steady flow the sum of
pressure, KE/volume and PE/volume remains constant at every
point of the fluid.

1 2
P + ρ v + ρ gy =
constant
2
How can we derive this?
Bernoulli’s Equation: derivation

Point 2
Point 1

1 2 1 2
P1 + ρ v1 =+
P2 ρ v2
2 2
Bernoulli’s Equation
Now include the case where the height of the fluid also changes

1 2 1 2
P1 + ρ gy1 + ρ v1 =P2 + ρ gy2 + ρ v2
2 2
Horizontal flow: Venturi Effect

Horizontal pipe:

Continuity equation:

1 2 1 2
Bernoulli’s equation: P1 + ρ v1 =+
P2 ρ v2
2 2
Higher velocity  Lower Pressure
PROBLEM
Blood flows from a healthy section of an artery to a section that is blocked by
cholesterol. The cross-sectional area of the blocked artery is 1/5 of the healthy
section. The blood pressure in the healthy section of the artery is 13,600 Pa and
blood speed is 12 cm/s.
What is the speed of the blood in the blocked section?
What is the pressure difference between the healthy and the blocked sections?
The density of blood is 1060 kg/m3
PROBLEM

A large pipe carries water with a velocity of 1.0 m/s and empties into
a pipe of smaller cross-section. If P2 is 7000 Pa lower than P1, what
is the velocity of the water in the small pipe?
Prairie
Dogs

V2
V1

Burrows
Constant Velocity (uniform cross-section area) Flow

Continuity equation:

Since y2 > y1 therefore we must have P1 > P2

PROBLEM
Water needs to be pumped from the ground level to the second floor of a building
using a pipe of uniform cross-sectional area of radius 1.25 cm. The required flow
rate from the tap is 200 cm3/s and the second floor is 5m above the ground level.
What is the flow speed?
What must be the pressure difference between the lower and the upper parts of
the pipe.
PROBLEM
Water emerges from a large closed tank through a small pipe that is a located at a
height y1 = 0.5 m from the bottom of the tank. The area of the pipe is much smaller
than the diameter of the tank so that the speed with which the water drops in the
tank can be ignored. The air in the closed tank is kept at a pressure P = 200 kPa.

(a) When the water level from the bottom of the tank is at y2 = 3.5 m, determine
the speed with which the water leaves the pipe.

(b) What would be the water speed if the tank was open to the atmosphere?
CQ-3

What is the correct relation same diameter

between the pressures and
velocities at points 1 and 2?
1

A.
2

B.

C.
CQ-4

Water flows through a horizontal pipe at 1.1 atm absolute pressure

and velocity 2 m/s. A tube, open to air, is connected to the pipe.
What is the height, h, of the water in the tube?

A. 17 m
B. 1.7 m
C. 10 m
D. 1.0 m Pipe
E. 100 m
PROBLEM

Water flows with a speed of 5.0 m/s through a section of a pipe that is lying on the
ground. The gauge pressure in the pipe is 75 kPa and the diameter of the hose is 6.0
cm. It then enters a section of the pipe that is 2.0 m above the ground level and has
a diameter of 4.0 cm. What is the gauge pressure in the elevated section?
PROBLEM
Air is blown through a circular and horizontal Venturi tube as shown
in the figure. The diameters of the narrow and wider sections of the
tube are given (see the figure) and the height h of the water column is
measured to be 1.5 cm.

What are the air speeds in the wider and the narrower sections of the
tube?

ρ air = 1.3 kg/m3

CQ-5

Air is flowing through a pipe,

which has three sections of 1
different diameters connected to
a water line.

Which picture reflects the

correct relation between the 2
water levels?

(A) 1

(B) 2 3

(C) 3
Pressure and wind speed in a Hurricane

At the landfall the pressure at the center of the

hurricane Katrina was determined to be 90.2 kPa.
Estimate the wind speed at the center of the hurricane.
CQ-6

Water flows through a dam.

When the dam closes, the
pressure at point 2…

(A) Increases

(B) Decreases

(C) Stays the same

PROBLEM

Water is forced out of a fire extinguisher by air pressure. How much

gauge pressure in the tank is required for the water jet to have a
speed of 30.0 m/s when the water level in the tank is 0.50 m below
the nozzle?