Motion of Fluids

Course name and number: PHY-

Student name:

Lab number:

Date:

TYPE ALL YOUR ANSWERS IN A DIFFERENT COLOR (not black!)

Objectives

 Apply the concept of static fluid pressure to real world problems

N
Use Pascals for your unit of pressure. Remember, [Pa]=[ ]
m2
For all your pressures use four significant figures for your answers. For example, if
the pressure meter gives you 101.325 kPa you can write that as 101,300 Pa.

Part 1: Atmospheric Pressure

Use this link to open the lab simulation.

http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/fluid-pressure-and-flow

In the top right-hand corner, select the grid option for the simulation.

Using the sliding knob, fill the pool so that there the water is 3 meters deep

Make sure that the acceleration due to gravity is equal to 9.8 m/s 2

Click the pressure meter to control it.

Drag the pressure meter to ground level and determine the pressure at the ground.
Record this value in the space below.

1
Patm = ______101.325____________ Pa

This value is the atmospheric pressure; because that is the pressure you feel
when one atmosphere is on top of you.

Where do you think the atmospheric pressure is the least?

1. Denver, CO (1609 m above sea level)

Explain your response:

I believe Denver Colorado has the most pressure because the abundance of
mountains and how far it is above sea level. The further away from the ground the
less pressure it is.

Part II: Gauge pressure, Absolute Pressure, and atms

Now let’s go under water, where the pressure is different. The pressure-meter on
the simulation measures absolute pressure, the actual pressure that is occurring.
Depending on our situation it may be beneficial to represent the pressure in a
different way. Gauge pressure ignores atmospheric pressure and only considers
the fluid. Atmospheres or atms represent the “number of atmospheres” you are
experiencing. Use the simulation to fill in the Table 1 below.

Table 1

Gauge Pressure Absolute Atmospheres

1.0 meter below 112.3 111.2kPa 1.10atm

2
 2.0 meters below 122.5 121.3kPa 1.20atm
the surface

3.0 meters below 131.8 130.5kPa 1.28atm

Part III: Calculating Pressure

1. To determine the absolute pressure of a static (unmoving) fluid, we can

P=P 0+ ρgh

Summarize this formula in words.

Pressure equals the initial pressure plus the density of the surrounding
multiplied by gravity multiplied by height.

2. For this part you’ll have to decide what type of person you are. Do you want
to jump into a pool full of honey or gasoline?
a. Gasoline (ρg = 700 kg/m3)
b. Honey (ρH = 1420 kg/m3)

Justify your response:

I don’t think I would attempt to jump into honey, nor gasoline. It just doesn’t sound
like something that would be all too appealing. I would rather jump in honey than
gasoline mostly because I won’t die from the ingestion of honey but if I ingest too
much gasoline, it will corrode my insides and I’ll die.

3
 3. So now that you have made your decision, predict the gauge pressure 3.0
meters below the surface of your fluid. Show your work in the space below.

121.5 + 1.20 = 122.25

4. Check your answer by using the simulation. On a gray part of the screen you
will find the “Fluid Density” small box. Click on “+” sign. Explain your
prediction and simulation results.

Part IV: Pressure at different depths

Rank the following points on the diagram above from least pressure to greatest
pressure. If any points have the same pressure, give them the same ranking.

__5__ A __4__ B __5__ C __5__ D __3__ E __2__ F __1__ G

4
Justify your response:

The greatest is D, C, and A because they at the bottom. And B, E, G, and F are all
above of them so it doesn’t take as much as the water at the bottom.

Part V: Fluid Flow

Click the “Flow” tab at the top of the window. Mess around with the simulation for
at least 2 minutes. Experiment with every variable you can until you are familiar
with the simulation.

We are going to talk about mass flow rate and volume flow rate, which are two
ways to talk about fluids flowing.
Δm
Mass flow rate, , is the mass of the fluid passing through a pipe in a unit of
t
kg
time. In physics, mass flow rate is measured in .
s
ΔV
Volume flow rate, , is the volume of the fluid passing through a pipe in a unit
t
of time.

What do you think volume flow rate is measured in physics?

In the current simulation, the volume flow rate is 5000 L/s, or 5 m 3/s. This means
that 5 cubic meters of water are passing through the pipe in a second. If the
density of this water is 1000 kg/m3, answer the following questions.

5
 1. What is the volume of water that flows through the pipe in 6 seconds?
30 m3/s

2. What is the mass flow rate of the water?

3. What is the mass of the water that flows through the pipe in 6 seconds?
166.66 kg/s

Part VI: Continuity

The mass flow rate and the volume flow rate are always the same in a closed pipe.
1. Why do you think that has to be the case?

A closed pipe leaves no opportunity for the liquid to move making it a static fluid,
therefore unmoving. If it was an open pipe, then the fluid in the pipe would be able
to move, leading to different rates.
2. Try and think about what might happen if the rates were not the same.

The volume flow rate remains the same as the area of the pipe decreases.

Select the ‘Flux meter’ option. The handles on various parts of the pipe can be
clicked and dragged to change the diameter of the pipe at each location. Use the
simulation to fill in the Table 2 below.

Table 2

Area Speed Volume Flow Rate

2.5 2 5

5.0 1 5

6.5 0.5 5

7.0 0.4 5

6
 4. Determine the continuity formula, which relates two points where fluid
flows in a closed pipe.

Continuity formula: A1v1 = A2v2

Answer the questions below about water moving through a closed pipe.

5. Determine the speed at which water would flow through a point in the pipe
that has a cross sectional area of 0.25 m2 and a volume flow rate of 5.0
m3/s. Show your calculations.
.25(5)= 1.25 m/s

6. Determine the speed at which water would flow through a point in the pipe
that has a cross sectional area of 0.25 m2 and a volume flow rate of 10.0
m3/s. Show your calculations.
25 (10) = 2.5 m/s

7. Determine the speed at which water would flow through a point in the pipe
that has a cross sectional area of 1.0 m2 and a volume flow rate of 10.0
m3/s. Show your calculations.
1 (10)= 10 m/s

8. Determine the speed at which water would flow through a point in the pipe
that has a cross sectional area of 1.0 m2 and a volume flow rate of 20.0
m3/s. Show your calculations.
1 (20) = 20 m/s

Manipulate the pipe diameter at different locations so that one part has a very
narrow diameter, and the other part has a wide diameter.

1. Measure and record the diameter, speed, and pressure at a point where the pipe
is very narrow and at a point where the pipe is very wide.

7
2. Write a statement about the relationship between the diameter of a pipe and the
speed of the fluid flowing through it.

3. Write a statement about the relationship between the speed and pressure of a
fluid in motion.