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Drag Studies Object: Weight - Buoyant Force - Drag Force = 0 Ρ G (4/3) Πr - Ρg (4/3) Πr - 6Πμvr = 0

The document describes an experiment to determine the viscosity of a fluid using the falling sphere viscometer method. Key details: 1) A sphere is dropped in a fluid and its terminal velocity is measured. Forces acting on the sphere - weight, buoyancy, drag - are related through equations involving properties like viscosity, densities, diameter. 2) An experiment is conducted with rubber spheres dropped in water. Times for spheres to fall a fixed distance are measured and averaged to calculate terminal velocity. 3) The measured terminal velocity, along with other known values like densities and diameter, are plugged into an equation to solve for viscosity of the fluid.

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sindhu elshaddaiengg
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48 views

Drag Studies Object: Weight - Buoyant Force - Drag Force = 0 Ρ G (4/3) Πr - Ρg (4/3) Πr - 6Πμvr = 0

The document describes an experiment to determine the viscosity of a fluid using the falling sphere viscometer method. Key details: 1) A sphere is dropped in a fluid and its terminal velocity is measured. Forces acting on the sphere - weight, buoyancy, drag - are related through equations involving properties like viscosity, densities, diameter. 2) An experiment is conducted with rubber spheres dropped in water. Times for spheres to fall a fixed distance are measured and averaged to calculate terminal velocity. 3) The measured terminal velocity, along with other known values like densities and diameter, are plugged into an equation to solve for viscosity of the fluid.

Uploaded by

sindhu elshaddaiengg
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DRAG STUDIES

Object
The object of this fluid property experiment was to determine the viscosity of a
particular homogenous fluid using the falling sphere viscometer method.

Theory
Viscosity is a fluid property defined as the fluid’s resistance to an externally applied
shear. From this definition, it is implied that a fluid will resist any change in form. If a
solid object is placed in a fluid that has a lesser density, the object will fall through the
fluid medium. As the object falls, it exerts a shear force on the fluid. Thus, the fluid is
displaced and exerts a force on the object. The forces present during this
process are weight due to gravity, the buoyant force and the drag force as shown below
in a force balance equation (Equation 1, below).

Weight – Buoyant Force – Drag Force = 0 (Eq. 1)

3 3
ρsg(4/3)πR – ρg(4/3)πR - 6πμVR = 0 (Eq. 2)

Equation 2 is a less general form of the force balance equation and illustrates the
importance of the falling object’s geometry and motion in relation to the forces present.
A graphical representation of the above equations can be seen in Figure 1. The
components of the equation are as follows:

ρs – density of the object


ρ – density of the fluid
g – gravitational acceleration
R – radius of the object
µ – viscosity of the fluid
V – terminal velocity of the object

The force of weight in Equation 2 is due to the gravitational acceleration of the object and
acts in the downward direction. The density of the object is directly related to the
magnitude of this acceleration. The more dense object is, the greater the weight.

The buoyant force in Equation 2 is caused by the pressure gradient exerted by the fluid on
the object. The lateral forces of this pressure are equal and opposite and therefore negate
one another. The pressure on the submerged object acting in the vertical is lesser on the
top than on the bottom and exerts a net upward force on the object.

The drag force in Equation 2 acts in the opposite direction of the relative motion of the
object traveling through the fluid. Therefore, the force acts in the direction of the fluid
flow. The cause of the drag force is due to the viscous effects of the fluid on the surface
of the submerged object.
Procedure
Equipment:

Figure 2: 28 mm diameter
Figure 3: Digital Stopwatch
rubber Sphere

Figure 1: Cylinder filled with water.


3
ρ = 1000 kg/m

Figure 4: Calipers
Experiment:
1) Measure the diameter of the rubber balls with the calipers and record the measurements
onto a data sheet. It is better to select bearings that have identical diameters. Make note of
the density of the material used in the bearings.
2) Make note of the ambient temperature where the experiment is being performed, as
density is a function of the temperature of the fluid.
3) Fill a transparent tube with a particular fluid of a known density. Affixed to the tube should
be a ruler so that velocity measurements can be made. The tube should be topped with a cap
that has a hole in the center large enough for the bearing to ensure that the bearing will travel
down the center if the cylinder.
4) Drop one stainless steel bearing into the fluid filled cylinder and observe the position
relative to the ruler at which the bearing achieves terminal velocity. Let this point be the initial
point from which time measurements are made. Assign another arbitrary point at which the
time measurement will cease.
5) After the distance for time measurement has been assigned, proceed to drop another bearing
into the fluid. When the bearing reaches the assigned point for beginning time measurements,
start a stopwatch. Stop the stopwatch when the bearing has reached the assigned terminus.
Record the time taken to travel between the two assigned points. Repeat this step four more
times and record the times.
6) Average the times recorded from Step 5. Use this time to determine the terminal velocity of
the falling sphere by the assigned distance by the averaged time. This velocity will be used to
determine the drag force.
7) Use the terminal velocity calculated in Step 6, the respective densities of the fluid and
sphere, radius of the sphere and gravitational acceleration in Equation 2. Rearrange the
expression algebraically to solve for the viscosity, µ.

3 3
µ = [ρg(4/3)πR - ρsg(4/3)πR ] / 6πVR (Equation 3)
Results

Table 1: Initial Measurements


3
Rubber Ball Bearing Density ρs = ......... kg/m
Rubber Ball Bearing Diameter D = ......... mm
3
Water Density ρ = 1000 kg/m
Displacement on Scale z = ......... m
o
Ambient Lab. Temperature T = ........ C

Table 2: Time Trials

Trial # Time (s)


1
2
3
4
5
tavg =

Initial conditions seen in Table 1 were measured with the exception of the density of the
rubber ball. The value for this density was pulled from a professionally published source. The
density of the water was measured using a hydrometer. The lab temperature was also recorded
for the purposes of ascertaining the temperature of the shampoo used in this experiment.

After dropping the rubber sphere into the fluid filled cylinder five successive times
and averaging the recorded times, the terminal velocity was calculated.

V = z/tave  V = ........................ m/s


The terminal velocity was the remaining unknown value for Equation 3.
Substituting this value into the equation calculates the viscosity of the shampoo.
3 3 2
µ = [ρsg(4/3)πR - ρg(4/3)πR ] / 6πVR = ................ N.s/m

Note: Repeat these for both rubber balls.

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