Mechanical Properties of Fluids Class 11 notes Physics Chapter 10

Introduction

In this chapter, we shall study some common physical properties

of liquids and gases. How are fluids different from solids? What is common in
liquids and gases? Unlike a solid, a fluid has no definite shape of its own. Solids
and liquids have a fixed volume, whereas a gas fills the entire volume
Liquids and gases can flow and are therefore, called fluids. Earth has an
envelop of air and two-thirds of its surface is covered with water. All the
processes occurring in living beings including plants are mediated by fluids.

Pressure

We can define pressure as the normal force acting per unit area of
a surface. It is denoted by P and SI unit of it is pascal (Pa). It is a
scalar quantity.

We observe that the same force (weight) exerts different pressures for
different areas in contact. Lesser the area, more is the pressure exerted for a
given force.

Density

The density of any material is defined as its mass per unit its volume. If a fluid
of mass m occupies a volume V, then its density is given as

Density is usually denoted by the symbol ρ. It is a positive scalar quantity. Its

SI unit is kg m–3 and its dimensions are [ML–3].

Pascal’s Law

This law states that the pressure in a fluid at rest is same at all points
which are at the same height.
Imagine a small element of fluid in the shape of a
right angled prism. All its points lie at the same
depth inside the liquid. Therefore the effect of
gravity is same at all these points. The forces
exerted by rest of the fluid on different surfaces
of this fluid element are as follows:

F1=F2=F3

If A1, A2 and A3 are the surface areas of faces respectively,

then by dividing.

So, the pressure exerted is same in all directions in a fluid

at rest, at the points at equal height.

Variation of Pressure with Depth

Let’s find the difference in pressures at two points, whose levels differ by a
height h in a fluid at rest. Let P 1 and P2 be the pressures at two points 1 and 2
inside a fluid. Point 1 is at a height h above the point 2.

Imagine a fluid element in the shape of a cylinder as shown. If A

be the area of the top and the bottom of this cylinder, then

Since, the fluid remains at rest, therefore the force F 2, which acts upwards
should balance the two downward forces. These are, the force F 1 exerted at
the top of the cylinder, and the weight W of the fluid confined
within the cylinder.

If ρ is the density of the fluid, then

This result tells us that as we go deep down
a liquid the pressure goes on increasing.
This pressure depends only on the height of
the liquid column above the point.

Atmospheric Pressure

The atmospheric pressure at a point is

equal to the weight of a column of air of unit cross-sectional area extending
from that point to the top of the atmosphere. Its value is 1.013 × 10 5 Pa at sea
level. Atmospheric pressure is measured using an instrument
called barometer.

Units os Atmospheric Pressure

 SI unit of pressure is N m–2 or Pascal (Pa)

 Atmosphere, 1 atm = 1.013 × 105 Pa = 760 mm of Hg

 1 torr = 133 Pa

 1 mm of Hg = 1 torr

 1 bar = 105 Pa

 1 millibar = 100 Pa

Gauge Pressure

When we remove atmospheric pressure from total pressure of any system then
this remaining pressure is called Gauge Pressure. The excess pressure P–Pa,
at depth h is called a gauge pressure at that point.

Archimedes’ Principle
When a body is partially or completely immersed in a liquid, it loses some of its
weight. The loss in weight of the body in the liquid is equal to the
weight of the liquid displaced by the immersed part of the body. The
upward force excerted by the liquid displaced when a body is immersed is
called buoyancy. Due to this, there is apparent loss in the weight experienced
by the body.

Law of Floatation

A body floats in a liquid if weight of the liquid displaced by the immersed

portion of the body is equal to the weight of the body. When a body is
immersed partially or wholly in a liquid, then the various forces acting on the
body are

1. Upward thrust (T) acting at the centre of buoyancy and whose

magnitude is equal to the weight of the liquid displaced

2. The weight of the body (W) which acts vertically downward through its
centre of gravity.

(a) When W > T, the body will sink in the liquid;

(b) When W = T, then the body will remain in equilibrium inside the
liquid;

(c) When W < T, then the body will come upto the surface of the liquid.

Streamline Flow
When a liquid flows such that each particle of the liquid passing a given point
moves along the same path and has the same velocity as its predecessor had
at that point, the flow is called streamlined or steady flow. The path
followed by a fluid particle in steady flow is called streamline.

Equation of Continuity

According to this theorem, "For the streamline flow of an incompressible fluid

through a pipe of varying cross-section, product of cross-section area and
velocity of streamline flow (Av) remains constant throughout the flow".

Av = constant

Bernoulli’s Principle

It may be stated as follows: As we move along a streamline, the sum of the

pressure (P), the kinetic energy per unit volume ( ρv22ρ�22) and the potential
energy per unit volume (ρgh) remains a constant.

Limitations of Bernoulli’s Equation

1. The equation is valid only for incompressible fluids having streamline

flow. It is because it does not take
into account the elastic energy of the
fluids.
 2. It is assumed that no energy is dissipated due to frictional
force exerted by different layers of fluid on each other.

3. It does not hold for non-steady flow. In such situation velocity and
pressure constantly fluctuate with time.

Surface Tension

Surface tension is defined as the surface

energy per unit area or the force per unit
length acting in the plane of the interface
between the plane of the liquid and any other
substance. The surface tension of a liquid usually decreases with increase in
temperature.

Capillary Rise

A tube of very fine bore is called a capillary. ‘Capilla’ is a Latin word which
means hair. Thus, capillary is a very thin tube. When such a tube, open at both
ends, is dipped in a beaker containing water, water rises in it against gravity.

Let us find an expression for the height h, upto which a liquid rises in a
capillary tube. Let a capillary tube of radius r be dipped in a liquid of surface
tension S and density ρ.

Thus, capillary rise

If the angle of contact for this liquid and the

capillary tube is acute, the liquid forms a concave
meniscus.
Viscosity

When a fluid moves, it flows in the form of parallel layers. These

layers exert a force on each other which tends to oppose their relative motion.
This is similar to what a frictional force does when two solids in contact move
or tend to move over each other. The property of fluid which gives rise to such
frictional force in them, is called viscosity. It is denoted by ‘η’. Its SI unit is N s
m–2 or Pa s which is also called poiseuille (Pl). The dimensions of viscosity are
[ML–1T–1].

where, dv/dx = velocity gardient

F = frictional force between layer of water

A = area of layer

Angle of Contact

The angle of contact is defined as the

angle that the tangent to the liquid
surface at the point of contact makes with
the solid surface inside the liquid. The
angle of contact depends on the nature of the solid and the liquid in contact. At
the point of contact, the surface forces between the three media must be in
equilibrium.

Stokes’ Law

When a spherical ball is dropped in a

liquid, he observed that the viscous force
F experienced by the ball is proportional
to the
– velocity of the object through the fluid, v

– viscosity of the fluid, η

– radius of the sphere, r

Thus F ∝ ηrv

Here, the constant of proportionality is found to be 6π.

Thus F = –6πηrv ← Stokes’ law.

The negative sign in the above expression just indicates that the retarding
force is opposite to the direction of motion of the object.

Terminal Velocity

The maximum constant velocity acquired by a body while falling through a

viscous medium is called its terminal velocity. It is usually denoted by VT.

When the body acquires terminal velocity,

the upward viscous force + the upward buoyant force = weight of the ball

Reynolds Number

Whether a flow will be turbulent or not, is decided by a dimensionless

parameter called Reynolds number Re. This parameter is given by the
relation

where, ρ = density of the fluid

v = velocity of the fluid

η = viscosity of the fluid

d = diameter of the pipe through which the fluid flows

 If Re < 1000, the flow is streamline or laminar

 If Re > 2000, the flow becomes turbulent

 If 1000 < Re < 2000, flow is unsteady i.e., it may change from laminar to
turbulent and vice versa.

Poiseuille’s Formula

The Poiseuille’s formula gives an expression for volume flow rate through a
capillary tube of inner radius r and length l due to a pressure difference
between its ends, P. The volume flow rate is represented by Q such that

According to Poiseuille’s,

Here, η is the coefficient of viscosity and all symbols have standard meaning.