NTU ESOE 2006 – Fluid Mechanics – 2023 Fall – Homework#3

SOLUTIONS

1. A water tank is being towed by a truck on a level road, and the angle the free surface
makes with the horizontal is measured to be 8°. Determine the acceleration of the truck.

Solution A water tank is being towed by a truck on a level road, and the angle the free
surface makes with the horizontal is measured. The acceleration of the truck is to be
determined.
Assumptions
1 The road is horizontal so that acceleration has no vertical component (az = 0).
2 Effects of splashing, breaking, driving over bumps, and climbing hills are assumed to
be secondary, and are not considered.
3 The acceleration remains constant.
Analysis We take the x-axis to be the direction of motion, the z-axis to be the upward
vertical direction. The tangent of the angle the free surface makes with the horizontal is
𝑎𝑥
𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜃 =
𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧
Solving for 𝑎𝑥 and substituting,
𝑎𝑥 = (𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 ) 𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜃 = (9.81 + 0)tan8° = 1.38 m/s2

2. Consider two water tanks filled with water. The first tank is 8 m high and is stationary,
while the second tank is 2 m high and is moving upward with an acceleration of 5 m/s2.
Which tank will have a higher pressure at the bottom?
Solution Two water tanks filled with water, one stationary and the other moving upwards
at constant acceleration. The tank with the higher pressure at the bottom is to be
determined.
Assumptions
1 The acceleration remains constant.
2 Water is an incompressible substance.
Properties We take the density of water to be 1000kg/m3.

Analysis The pressure difference between two points 1 and 2 in an incompressible fluid
is given by
𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = −𝜌𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) − 𝜌(𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 )(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 ) or 𝑃1 − 𝑃2 = 𝜌(𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 )(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 )
since ax = 0. Taking point 2 at the free surface and point 1 at the tank bottom, we have
P2=Patm and z2-z1=h and thus
P1,gage = Pbottom = 𝜌(𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 )ℎ
 Tank A: We have az= 0, and thus the pressure at the bottom is
1𝑘𝑁
𝑃𝐴,𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝐴 = (1000 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3 )(9.81 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )(8 𝑚) (1000𝑘𝑔⋅𝑚⁄𝑠2 ) = 78.5 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
Tank B: We have az= +5 m/s2, and thus the pressure at the bottom is
𝑃𝐵,𝑏𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 = 𝜌(𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 )ℎ𝐵
1𝑘𝑁
= (1000 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3 )(9.81 + 5 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )(2 𝑚) ( ) = 29.6 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
1000𝑘𝑔 ⋅ 𝑚⁄𝑠 2
Therefore, tank A has a higher pressure at the bottom.

3. A water tank is being towed on an uphill road that makes 14° with the horizontal with a
constant acceleration of 3.5 m/s2 in the direction of motion. Determine the angle the free
surface of water makes with the horizontal. What would your answer be if the direction of
motion were downward on the same road with the same acceleration?
Solution A water tank is being towed on an uphill road at constant acceleration. The
angle the free surface of water makes with the horizontal is to be determined, and the
solution is to be repeated for the downhill motion case.

Assumptions
1 Effects of splashing, breaking, driving over bumps, and climbing hills are assumed to
be secondary, and are not considered.
2 The acceleration remains constant.
Analysis We take the x- and z-axes as shown in the figure. From geometrical
considerations, the horizontal and vertical components of acceleration are
𝑎𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛼 , 𝑎𝑧 = 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝛼
The tangent of the angle the free surface makes with the horizontal is
𝑎𝑥 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛼 (3.5 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )𝑐𝑜𝑠14°
𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜃 = = = = 0.3187, 𝜽 = 𝟏𝟕. 𝟕°
𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 𝑔 + 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝛼 9.81 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 + (3.5 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )𝑠𝑖𝑛14°
When the direction of motion is reversed, both ax and az are in negative x- and z-
direction, respectively, and thus become negative quantities,
𝑎𝑥 = −𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛼 , 𝑎𝑧 = −𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝛼
Then the tangent of the angle the free surface makes with the horizontal becomes
𝑎𝑥 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝛼 −(3.5 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )𝑐𝑜𝑠14°
𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜃 = = = = −0.3789, 𝜽 = −𝟐𝟎. 𝟖°
𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 𝑔 + 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝛼 9.81 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 − (3.5 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )𝑠𝑖𝑛14°
Discussion Note that the analysis is valid for any fluid with constant density, not just
water, since we used no information that pertains to water in the solution.
4. Milk with a density of 1020 kg/m3 is transported on a level road in a 9-m-long, 3-m-
diameter cylindrical tanker. The tanker is completely filled with milk (no air space), and it
accelerates at 4 m/s2. If the minimum pressure in the tanker is 100 kPa, determine the
maximum pressure difference and the location of the maximum pressure

Assumptions
1 The acceleration remains constant.
2 Milk is an incompressible substance
Properties The density of the milk is given to be 1020 kg/m3.
Analysis
We take the x- and z- axes as shown. The horizontal acceleration is in the negative x
direction, and thus ax is negative. Also, there is no acceleration in the vertical direction,
and thus az= 0. The pressure difference between two points 1 and 2 in an incompressible
fluid in linear rigid body motion is given by
𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = −𝜌𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) − 𝜌(𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 )(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 ) 𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = −𝜌𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) − 𝜌𝑔(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 )
The first term is due to acceleration in the horizontal direction and the resulting
compression effect towards the back of the tanker, while the second term is simply the
hydrostatic pressure that increases with depth. Therefore, we reason that the lowest
pressure in the tank will occur at point 1 (upper front corner), and the higher pressure at
point 2 (the lower rear corner). Therefore, the maximum pressure difference in the tank is
𝛥𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = −𝜌𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) − 𝜌𝑔(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 ) = −[𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) + 𝑔(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 )]
1𝑘𝑁
= −(1020 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3 )[(−4 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )(9 𝑚) + (9.81 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )(−3𝑚)] ( )
1000𝑘𝑔 ⋅ 𝑚⁄𝑠 2
= (36.72 + 30.0)𝑘𝑁⁄𝑚2 = 𝟔𝟔. 𝟕 𝒌𝑷𝒂
since x1= 0, x2 = 9 m, z1 = 3 m, and z2= 0.
Discussion Note that the variation of pressure along a horizontal line is due to
acceleration in the horizontal direction while the variation of pressure in the vertical
direction is due to the effects of gravity and acceleration in the vertical direction (which is
zero in this case).

5. Repeat the above problem for a deceleration of 2.5 m/s2.

Solution Milk is transported in a completely filled horizontal cylindrical tank decelerating

at a specified rate. The maximum pressure difference in the tanker is to be determined.
Assumptions
1 The acceleration remains constant.
2 Milk is an incompressible substance
 Analysis We take the x- and z- axes as shown. The horizontal deceleration is in the x
direction, and thus ax is positive. Also, there is no acceleration in the vertical direction,
and thus az= 0. The pressure difference between two points 1 and 2 in an incompressible
fluid in linear rigid body motion is given by
𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = −𝜌𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) − 𝜌(𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧 )(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 ) 𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = −𝜌𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) − 𝜌𝑔(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 )
The first term is due to deceleration in the horizontal direction and the resulting
compression effect towards the front of the tanker, while the second term is simply the
hydrostatic pressure that increases with depth. Therefore, we reason that the lowest
pressure in the tank will occur at point 1 (upper front corner), and the higher pressure at
point 2 (the lower rear corner). Therefore, the maximum pressure difference in the tank is
𝑃𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = −𝜌𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) − 𝜌𝑔(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 ) = −[𝑎𝑥 (𝑥2 − 𝑥1 ) + 𝑔(𝑧2 − 𝑧1 )]
1𝑘𝑁
= −(1020 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚3 )[(2.5 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )(−9 𝑚) + (9.81 𝑚⁄𝑠 2 )(−3𝑚)] ( )
1000𝑘𝑔 ⋅ 𝑚⁄𝑠 2
= (22.95 + 30.0)𝑘𝑁⁄𝑚2 = 𝟓𝟑. 𝟎 𝒌𝑷𝒂

since x1= 9 m, x2 = 0, z1 = 3 m, and z2= 0.

Discussion Note that the variation of pressure along a horizontal line is due to
acceleration in the horizontal direction while the variation of pressure in the vertical
direction is due to the effects of gravity and acceleration in the vertical direction (which is
zero in this case).

6. A van accelerates forward (to the right) at a = 3 m/s2 on a perfectly horizontal road. The
back compartment of the van is well sealed – no air goes in or out. Take the density of
air inside the van to be 𝜌𝑎 = 1.2 kg/m3. A helium-filled balloon (density 𝜌𝐻𝑒 = 0.16 kg/m3)
of radius 10 cm is attached to the floor inside the van with a string of length 1 m. Does
the balloon tilt forward or backward? What is the tilt angle 𝜃?

Solution Helium is lighter than air, so the balloon floats due to buoyancy. For a fluid
undergoing rigid-body motion in a straight line, the slope of iso-pressure lines is
𝑎𝑥
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = − = −0.3
𝑔 + 𝑎𝑧
𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 (0.3) = 0.29 = 16.7°
 Therefore, the balloon will tilt forward at an angle of 16.7°

7. What is the definition of a pathline? What do pathlines indicate?

Analysis: A pathline is the actual path traveled by an individual fluid particle over
some time period. It indicates the exact route along which a fluid particle travels from its
starting point to its ending point. Unlike streamlines, pathlines are not instantaneous, but
involve a finite time period.

Discussion: If a flow field is steady, streamlines, pathlines, and streaklines are identical.
8. What is the definition of a streamline? What do streamlines indicate?
Analysis: A streamline is a curve that is everywhere tangent to the instantaneous
local velocity vector. It indicates the instantaneous direction of fluid motion throughout
the flow field.

9. What is the definition of a streakline? How do streaklines differ from streamlines?

Analysis: A streakline is the locus of fluid particles that have passed sequentially
through a prescribed point in the flow. Streaklines are very different than streamlines.
Streamlines are instantaneous curves, everywhere tangent to the local velocity, while
streaklines are produced over a finite time period. In an unsteady flow, streaklines distort
and then retain features of that distorted shape even as the flow field changes, whereas
streamlines change instantaneously with the flow field.

Discussion: If a flow field is steady, streamlines and streaklines are identical.

10. What is the definition of a timeline? How can timelines be produced in a water channel?
Solution We are to define timeline and discuss how timelines can be produced in a
water channel. We are also to
describe an application where timelines are more useful than streaklines.
Analysis A timeline is a set of adjacent fluid particles that were marked at the same
instant of time. Timelines can be produced in a water flow by using a hydrogen bubble
wire. There are also techniques in which a chemical reaction is initiated by applying
current to the wire, changing the fluid color along the wire. Timelines are more useful
than streaklines
when the uniformity of a flow is to be visualized. Another application is to visualize the
velocity profile of a boundary layer
or a channel flow.
Discussion Timelines differ from streamlines, streaklines, and pathlines even if the flow
is steady.