AP Physics 2

Unit 1: Fluids

Section 1.1 – Pressure……………………………………………………………………………4

Section 1.2 – Buoyancy………………………………………………………………..…………8

Section 1.3 – Fluid Dynamics………………………………………………..............…………10

3
AP Physics 2 Unit 1: Fluids
1.1 Pressure
Focus Question: How does pressure change with depth?
 Solid – Shape and volume do not readily change.
 Liquid – Takes on the shape of its container, but volume does not readily change (liquids are
incompressible).
 Gas – No fixed shape of fixed volume. Will expand to fill whatever container it’s in.

 Fluid-
 Does not maintain a fixed mass.
 Flows under pressure.
 Includes liquids, gasses, and plasmas.

Density & Specific Gravity

 Density – The ratio of an objects mass to the volume it occupies:

𝑀
𝜌=
𝑉
*units of density = 𝑘𝑔/𝑚

 Specific Gravity – Specific gravity is the ratio of an object’s density to the density of water:
𝜌
𝑆𝐺 =
𝜌
The value of density of water in Physics 2 can be taken as 1000 kg/m 3

Pressure
 Pressure – When a force is applied to a surface, the pressure on the surface is the force applied on the
surface divided by the surface area:
𝐹
𝑃=
𝐴
Units of Pressure: Pascals (Pa)
Pressure is sometimes measured in atmospheres, where 1 atmosphere is equal to the pressure exerted by the
earth’s atmosphere at sea level: 1 atm = 1.013x105 Pa

 Pascal’s Principle - If pressure is applied to a confined fluid then the

pressure at all points in the fluid is greater than the hydrostatic
pressure. The pressure throughout the fluid is increased everywhere.
The pressure on each piston is equal:

𝑃 =𝑃
𝑭𝟏 𝑭𝟐
=
𝑨𝟏 𝑨𝟐

4
Example A: A car lift uses pistons to raise a car. Compressed air
exerts a force on a piston with a radius of 5.0 cm, and the pressure on
this piston is transmitted to a larger piston with a radius of 20 cm to
lift a car with a mass of 1200 kg.
a) What force does the compressed air exert?
b) How does the work done by the pistons compare?

a) Pascal’s Principle:
= → = →𝐹 = (𝐹 )
(5 𝑐𝑚) 𝑚
→𝐹 = (1200 𝑘𝑔) 10 = 𝟕𝟓𝟎 𝑵
(20 𝑐𝑚) 𝑠
b) Since a constant volume is transmitted, the volume is equated (one piston pushes a volume of air to
the other, that volume is the same):
∆𝑥 𝜋𝑟
𝑉 = 𝑉 → 𝜋𝑟 ∆𝑥 = 𝜋𝑟 ∆𝑥 → =
∆𝑥 𝜋𝑟
With the ratio of the distances moved by the pistons, the ratio of the work can be found:
𝑊 𝐹 ∆𝑥
=
𝑊 𝐹 ∆𝑥
∆
Substitute in = :
∆
𝑊 𝐹 𝑟 (750 𝑁) (20 𝑐𝑚)
= = = 1 → 𝑾𝟏 = 𝑾𝟐
𝑊 𝐹 𝑟 (1200 𝑘𝑔)(10 ) (5 𝑐𝑚)

Example B: A swimming pool is a rectangular prism with a width of 8 m, a length of 14 m, and an average
depth of 1.5 m.
a) Calculate the weight of the water in the swimming pool.
b) Calculate the force the Earth’s atmosphere exerts on the pool’s surface.
c) A frisbee of radius 𝑟 = .1 𝑚 rests at a depth of 1 m below the surface of the pool. Calculate the
pressure exerted on the top surface of the frisbee from the water.

a) The density of water is 1000 kg/m3

𝜌 = → 𝑀 = 𝜌𝑉 = 1000 (8 𝑚)(14 𝑚)(1.5 𝑚) = 168000 𝑘𝑔
b) Atmosphere pressure is 1.013x105 Pa
𝑃 = → 𝐹 = 𝑃(𝐴) = 1.01𝑥10 𝑃𝑎(8 𝑚)(14 𝑚) = 1.1𝑥10 𝑁
c) The mass of the volume of water only directly above the frisbee
exerts pressure on it:
𝑃= =
𝑃= = = = 𝜌𝑔ℎ
𝑃 = (1000 )(10 )(1 𝑚) = 10,000 𝑃𝑎

5
  Hydrostatic Pressure
 A fluid exerts equal pressure in all directions: Pressure of a fluid is due to the weight of the fluid
above it.
 When a fluid is at rest, the force it exerts is always perpendicular to a surface in contact with the
fluid.
 A fluid exerts pressure on a submerged object in all directions.
 Hydrostatic Equation - Used to calculate the pressure at a point h meters below the surface of a
fluid:
Hydrostatic pressure is the force per unit area exerted on an object under-
water by the column of water above it:

𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 =
𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 =
𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑥 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 =
𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑥 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑥 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 =
𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑚𝑔 𝜌𝑉𝑔 𝜌(𝐴ℎ)𝑔
𝑃= = =
𝐴 𝐴 𝐴
Hydrostatic Pressure Formula: 𝑷 = 𝝆𝒈𝒉

*The pressure in a uniform liquid is the same at every point ℎ meters below the surface.

 Gauge Pressure
A pressure gauge indicates pressure above atmospheric pressure. The pressure given by the gauge is
called gauge pressure. To find absolute pressure: Add the measured pressure to atmospheric pressure.
When submerged is water, the pressure on an object is due to the water above, and the atmospheric
above it.
𝑷𝑨𝑩𝑺 = 𝑷𝑨𝑻𝑴 + 𝑷𝑮𝑨𝑼𝑮𝑬
*Atmospheric pressure on Earth’s Surface varies with weather conditions and altitude *air compressible
*The weight of the atmosphere is large. We are not crushed because our cells are close to atmospheric pressure.

Example C: Determine an expression for the absolute pressure at each

of the labeled points.

A: 𝑃 = 𝑃 since A is open to the atmosphere.

B: 𝑃 = 𝑃 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ
C: 𝑃 = 𝑃 + 2𝜌𝑔ℎ
D: The pressure at D is equal to the pressure at B since they
have the same depth: 𝑃 = 𝑃 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ
E: The pressure at E is equal to the pressure at C since they have the same depth:
𝑃 =𝑃 + 2𝜌𝑔ℎ

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Example D: A cube of wood with sides of 10 m floats at the interface of oil and water as shown. The cube’s
lower surface is 2.0 m below the interface. The density of oil is 600 kg/m 3.

a) What is the gauge pressure at the upper face of the block?

b) What is the gauge pressure at the lower face of the block?
c) What is the absolute pressure at the lower face of the block?

a) The top surface is under 2 m of oil, so the pressure is due to the force of the oil only:
𝑃 = 𝜌 𝑔ℎ = 600 10 (2 𝑚) = 12,000 𝑃𝑎 = 12 𝑘𝑃𝑎

b) The bottom surface is under all 10 m of oil. Additionally, it is under 2 m of water.

𝑃 = 𝜌 𝑔ℎ + 𝜌 𝑔ℎ
→ 𝑃 = 600 10 (10 𝑚) + 1000 10 (2 𝑚) = 80,000 𝑃𝑎

c) The absolute pressure is the gauge pressure added to atmosphere pressure:

𝑃 = 80,000 𝑃𝑎 + 10,130 𝑃𝑎 = 90,130 𝑃𝑎 = 90 𝑘𝑃𝑎
This is equal to about 9 atmospheres (9 atm)

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AP Physics 2 Unit 1: Fluids
1.2 Buoyancy
Focus Question: What is Archimedes’s Principle

 Buoyant Force – Upward force on an object in a fluid; the buoyant force acts against gravity.

*An object will float if: The buoyant force is greater than the weight.
*When an object floats, the upward buoyant force on the object is greater than the downward force due to
gravity. There is a buoyant force because pressure increases with depth.

 Archimedes Principle- The upward buoyant force that is exerted on an

object submerged in a liquid is equal to the weight of the liquid
displaced by the object.
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑔
→ 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 = 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑥 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
𝑭𝑩 = 𝝆𝒈𝑽𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒅
*An object floats if its density is less than the liquid.

Example A: What fraction of a piece of aluminum (𝜌 = 2700 𝑘𝑔/𝑚 ) will be submerged when floating in
mercury (𝜌 = 13600 𝑘𝑔/𝑚 )?

Since the aluminum floats, the buoyant force is equal to its weight.
𝐹 =0=𝐹 −𝐹 →𝐹 =𝐹
𝐹 =𝜌 𝑔𝑉
𝐹 = 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑚 = 𝜌 𝑔𝑉
When calculating volumes, only the submerged height is used for the
displaced mercury, the total height is used for the volume of the aluminum
itself. Both volumes have the same cross-sectional area.
𝜌 𝑔(𝐴ℎ )=𝜌 𝑔(𝐴ℎ )
ℎ 𝜌 2700 𝑘𝑔/𝑚
= = = 𝟎. 𝟐
ℎ 𝜌 13600 𝑘𝑔/𝑚

Example B: The figure shows a floating block of density 640 kg/m3 floating in water.
Calculate the fraction h/L.
𝜌 𝑔𝑉 =𝜌 𝑔𝑉
𝜌 𝐴(𝐿 − ℎ) = 𝜌 𝐴(𝐿)
𝒉
1000𝐿 − 1000ℎ = 640𝐿 → −1000ℎ = −360𝐿 → =. 𝟑𝟔
𝑳

 In general, the fraction of an object that is submerged when it floats equals that ratio of the object’s
density to that of the liquid.
In water, the fraction submerged is equal to the specific gravity of the material:
𝜌 𝑔𝑉 =𝜌 𝑔𝑉
→𝜌 𝐴ℎ =𝜌 𝐴ℎ
𝜌 ℎ
→ = = 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝜌 ℎ
8
Example C: Totally submerged object: An apple with is hung from a spring scale. When
the object is in the air, the spring scale reads 2.0 N. When the apple is fully submerged in
water, the scale reads 1.5 N.
a) Calculate the density of the apple.
b) The spring scale is removed while the apple is fully submerged. Will the apple
float up or sink?

a) Since the object is at rest, the sum of the forces on it are zero. Weight acts
downward, and the upward force of the spring scale holds it upwards. It is also
pushed up by the buoyant force. Because the spring scale reads 2 N when the apple is not in water,
that is the weight the apple.
𝐹 =0=𝐹 +𝐹 −𝐹 =0
Since the apple is fully submerged, all of its volume is used when applying Archimedes’ Principle. The volume
of the apple is its mass dived by its density. The mass the apple is its weight (which is known) divided by
acceleration due to gravity.
𝑚
→𝐹 +𝜌 𝑔𝑉 =𝑊 →𝐹 +𝜌 𝑔 =𝑊
𝜌
𝜌 𝑊
→𝜌 𝑔 =𝑊 −𝐹 →𝜌 =
𝜌 𝑊 −𝐹
(1000 )(2 𝑁) 𝒌𝒈
→𝜌 = = 𝟒𝟎𝟎𝟎
2 𝑁 − 1.5 𝑁 𝒎𝟑

b) Since the apple in this problem is more dense than water, it will sink.
When an object is fully submerged in water , it will accelerate up if it is less dense than water. If it is
more dense than water, it will acceleration down.

Example D: A spherical air balloon has a radius of 9.5 m and is filled with helium. What is the maximum mass
that the ball can lift? (𝜌 = .18 , 𝜌 = 1.29 𝑘𝑔/𝑚 ). The mass of the balloon can be neglected, but not
the mass of the helium.

The buoyant force has to support the cargo and the weight of the helium in the balloon.
𝐹 =0=𝐹 −𝑊 −𝑊
→ 𝜌 𝑔𝑉 = 𝜌 𝑔𝑉 + 𝑚 𝑔
𝑚 → (𝜌 − 𝜌 )(𝑉)
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔 4
𝑚 = 1.29 − .18 𝜋(9.5 𝑚) = 4000 𝑘𝑔
𝑚 𝑚 3

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AP Physics 2 Unit 1: Fluids
1.3 Fluid Dynamics
Focus Question: What effects the velocity of flowing ideal fluid?
 Laminar Flow – Trajectory of each particle is smooth and trajectories
do not cross. Also called “streamline” flow.

 Turbulent Flow- Flow where trajectories of water particles cross.

Occurs is the flow goes above some critical velocity.

*An eddy current is when current circles back on itself. Eddy currents disrupt the flow of a fluid.
The Ideal Fluid
For fluids in motion, fluids are assumed to be ideal fluids. An ideal fluid has the following properties:
o The fluid exhibits laminar flow.
o The fluid is non-viscous, so there is no drag force.
*Viscosity is analogous to friction for the flow of fluids.
o The fluid is incompressible; the density is the same everywhere in the fluid.
o The fluid is steady.
*velocity, density, and pressure are constant over time.

Equation of Continuity

Mass flow rate stays the same:

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝜌𝑉 𝜌𝑉
= → =
𝑡 𝑡 𝑡 𝑡

𝜌𝐴 𝑣 = 𝜌𝐴 𝑣
𝑨𝟏 𝒗𝟏 = 𝑨𝟐 𝒗𝟐

Bigger cross section = slower flow. Smaller cross section = faster flow.

*Fluid speeds up where flow is constricted. This is based on conservation of mass.

Example A: Water runs through a water main of with a circular cross section of radius 5 cm 2 with a velocity of
6 m/s.
a) Calculate the velocity of the water in the pipe when the pipe tapers down to a cross-section radius of
1.0 cm2.
b) How long will it take the water out of the faucet to fill a 200 L tub?

a) Applying the continuity formula:

𝐴 𝑣 =𝐴 𝑣 →𝑣 = = 𝑣
( ) )
→𝑣 =( ( ) )
6 = 150 𝑚/𝑠
b) The volume flow rate can be calculated using either cross section:
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 = = (𝐴) = 𝑣𝐴 = 150 (𝜋)(. 01 𝑚) ) = .047
There are 1000 L in a cubic meter:

= 4.3 𝑠
.

10
Bernoulli’s Equation

Bernoulli’s Equation is derived from applying conservation of

energy to the flow of an ideal fluid:
Going back to Physics 1, the change in energy is due to work
done by outside forces. The work done on the fluid from the
outside forces exerting pressure is equal to the total change in
energy:
𝑊 = ∆𝐾 + ∆𝑈

The work done on each end of the fluid flow is:

𝑊 = 𝐹∆𝑥 = (𝑃𝐴)∆𝑥 = 𝑃𝑉
The net work is then 𝑊 = 𝑃 𝑉 − 𝑃 𝑉 since both ends of the flow have forces in opposite directions.

The change in kinetic energy is: ∆𝐾 = 𝑚𝑣 − 𝑚𝑣

The change in potential energy is: ∆𝑈 = 𝑚𝑔𝑦 − 𝑚𝑔𝑦

The work energy relationship is then:

1 1
𝑃 𝑉 − 𝑃 𝑉 = 𝑚𝑣 − 𝑚𝑣 + 𝑚𝑔𝑦 − 𝑚𝑔𝑦
2 2
Since 𝜌 = 𝑚𝑉, dividing the entire equation by volume yields:
1 1
𝑃 − 𝑃 = 𝜌𝑣 − 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦 − 𝜌𝑔𝑦
2 2
𝟏 𝟏
→ 𝑷𝟏 + 𝝆𝒗𝟐𝟏 + 𝝆𝒈𝒚𝟏 = 𝑷𝟐 + 𝝆𝒗𝟐𝟐 + 𝝆𝒈𝒚𝟐
𝟐 𝟐
*Fluid velocity is low where pressure is high and fluid velocity is high where pressure is low.

Example B: A sealed tank contains water filled to a height of h = 8.0

m. The air above the water is at 40 atm of pressure. Water flows out
of a hole at a height a = 5 m above the ground.
a) Find the speed at which the water leaves the whole.
b) Find the horizontal range travel by the water.
c) How does the height a, of the hole affect the horizontal
range of the water?

a) Bernoulli’s equation will be applied for the top of the water

and the opening. The water level at the top is assumed to be
constant (otherwise this is Calc II problem), and the opening is open to the atmosphere, so it is at
atmospheric pressure:
1 1
𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦 = 𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦
2 2
→𝑣 = 2

( . ) ( ) ( . ) ( )
→𝑣 = 2( = 𝟔𝟑 𝒎/𝒔

11
*If the top of the container is also open to the atmosphere, the equations becomes:
1 1
𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦 = 𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦
2 2
𝑣 = 2𝑔 𝑦 − 𝑦
The result above is a statement of Torricelli's Theorem

b) Kinematics, WOW. OMG. This is projectile problem with an initial horizontal velocity of v=63 m/s. The
water accelerates down due to gravity. Such fun.
Find time in the air using the y-direction: 𝑣 = 0, 𝑎 = −10 , ∆𝑦 = −5 𝑚, 𝑡 =?

1 2∆𝑦 2(−5𝑚)
∆𝑦 = 𝑣 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 → 𝑡 = = =1𝑠
2 𝑎 −10
Find the horizontal displacement since the velocity in the x-direction doesn’t change:
𝑚
∆𝑥 = 𝑣 𝑡 = 63 (1 𝑠) = 𝟔𝟑 𝒎
𝑠

c) The low the opening is in the container of the water, the faster the water will travel, giving it a larger
horizontal velocity when it leaves the container. However, a lower opening leads to less time in the air.

Example C: In a hydroelectric power plant, water leaves a dam

from a point 50 m beneath the surface. It enters a pipe of radius
80 cm and is incident on a turbine through a pipe of radius 40 cm.
a) Find the speed of the water as it hits the turbine.
b) Calculate the pressure at point 2.

a) Both the top of the reservoir and the turbine are open to the
atmosphere. Also, the water level of the reservoir is assumed to
be constant, so the velocity at 1 is zero.
1 1
𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦 = 𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦
2 2
→ 𝑣 = 2𝑔(𝑦 − 𝑦 ) =
𝑚
𝑣 = 2(10 )(350 𝑚 − 0 𝑚) = 𝟖𝟒 𝒎/𝒔
𝑠

b) Before applying Bernoulli’s, the speed at 2 needs to be found with continuity:

𝐴 𝜋(. 40 𝑐𝑚) 𝑚 𝑚
𝐴 𝑣 =𝐴 𝑣 →𝑣 = 𝑣 = 84 = 21
𝐴 𝜋(. 80 𝑐𝑚) 𝑠 𝑠
Either 1 or 3 can be used as the other point when applying Bernoulli’s. 1 is simpler:
1 1
𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦 = 𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦
2 2
1
→ 𝑃 = 𝜌𝑔𝑦 − 𝜌𝑣 − 𝜌𝑔𝑦
2
𝑘𝑔 𝑚 1 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 𝑘𝑔 𝑚
→ 𝑃 = 1000 10 (350 𝑚) − 1000 21 − 1000 10 (50 𝑚)
𝑚 𝑠 2 𝑚 𝑠 𝑚 𝑠
→ 𝑃 = 𝟐. 𝟖𝒙𝟏𝟎𝟔 𝑷𝒂

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  Venturi Tube – A venturi tube measures pressure different between areas in a
pipe with different diameters in order to measure the flow rate of a fluid. A tube
called a manometer connects sections of the venturi with different known
diameters. The fluid flow speed is found by measuring the height of a fluid in the
manometer, such as mercury.

Example D: Venturi Tube: The section of pipe shown has a cross-

sectional area of 𝐴 =40 cm2 at its wide section and 𝐴 = 10 cm2 at the
narrow portion. Water flows out of the pipe at a rate of 3𝑥10 𝑚 /𝑠.
a) Find the maximum velocity of the water.
b) Find the pressure difference between the wide and narrow
sections.
c) Find the different in height between the sections of the
manometer. 𝜌 = 13.6𝑥10 𝑘𝑔/𝑚

a) The volume flow rate at 1, where 𝑉 = 𝐴𝑣

𝐴 𝑣 =𝐴 𝑣
𝐴 𝑣 3𝑥10
→𝑣 = = = 3 𝑚/𝑠
𝐴 10𝑥10 𝑚
b) In the pipe itself, there is no height difference.
𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦 = 𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦
→ 𝑃 − 𝑃 = 𝜌𝑣 − 𝜌𝑣

→𝑃 −𝑃 = 1000 3 − = 𝟒𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝑷𝒂

c) The two columns of mercury have the same pressure difference as the wide and narrow sections of the
pipe, since the two ends of the columns are open to these sections of pipe.
𝑃 −𝑃 =𝑃 −𝑃
When applying Bernoulli’s, the velocities are canceled out since the mercury levels are constant.
𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦 = 𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦
→ 𝑃 − 𝑃 = 𝜌𝑔𝑦 − 𝜌𝑔𝑦
→𝑦 −𝑦 = = =. 𝟎𝟑 𝒎
. / )( / )

 Airplane Wings - The shape of an aircraft wing forces air flowing above the wing to travel faster than air
flowing below the wing. The higher pressure below the wing results in a net upward force on the wing.

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Example F: Airplane Lift – An airplane of wings with an area of 5.0 m2. Air flows over the top of the wing at
250 m/s and under the wing at 210 m/s.
a) Find the mass of the airplane so that the lift on the wing supports the airplane.
b) Suppose an airplane flies where the air is thinner. How does thinner air affect the required size of the
wings?

a) The airplane keeps its altitude since the lift force on the wing cancels out the force of the airplane’s
weight:
𝐹=𝐹 − 𝑚𝑔 = 0
𝐹
→ 𝑚𝑔 = 𝐹 →𝑚=
𝑔
The lift force for one wing is 𝐹 = 𝐴∆𝑃. For the two airplane wings, 𝐹 = 2𝐴∆𝑃.

Bernoulli’s formula is applied to find the pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces of the
wings. The heights of the wings surfaces are assumed to be assumed since the difference is negligible
compared to the difference in speeds:
1 1
𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦 =𝑃 + 𝜌𝑣 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦
2 2
1 1
𝑃 −𝑃 = ∆𝑃 = 𝜌𝑣 − 𝜌𝑣
2 2
1 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 𝑚
∆𝑃 = 1.2 250 − 210 = 11040 𝑃𝑎
2 𝑚 𝑠 𝑠
𝐹 2𝐴∆𝑃 2(5 𝑚)(11040)
𝑚= = = = 11040 𝒌𝒈
𝑔 𝑔 10
b) If the air is thinner, the pressure difference will be smaller, requiring more surface area.

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