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Key Properties of Fluids Explained

This document defines and describes several key properties of fluids including density, viscosity, temperature, pressure, specific volume, specific weight, and specific gravity. It explains that density is the mass per unit volume of a fluid and depends on temperature and pressure. Viscosity determines a fluid's resistance to shear stress and flow. Temperature is a measure of heat intensity, while pressure is the force per unit area of a fluid. Specific volume, specific weight, and specific gravity relate to ratios of volume, weight, and density compared to standard fluids. The document also classifies fluids as ideal, real, Newtonian, non-Newtonian, or ideal plastic based on their compressibility and viscosity characteristics.

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97 views5 pages

Key Properties of Fluids Explained

This document defines and describes several key properties of fluids including density, viscosity, temperature, pressure, specific volume, specific weight, and specific gravity. It explains that density is the mass per unit volume of a fluid and depends on temperature and pressure. Viscosity determines a fluid's resistance to shear stress and flow. Temperature is a measure of heat intensity, while pressure is the force per unit area of a fluid. Specific volume, specific weight, and specific gravity relate to ratios of volume, weight, and density compared to standard fluids. The document also classifies fluids as ideal, real, Newtonian, non-Newtonian, or ideal plastic based on their compressibility and viscosity characteristics.

Uploaded by

Omar Cesar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Properties of Fluids

Fluid Mechanics Add comments

Sep 252012

roperties of fluids determine how fluids can be used in engineering and technology. They also

determine the behaviour of fluids in fluid mechanics. The following are some of the important
basic properties of fluids:
1.

Density

2.

Viscosity

3.

Temperature

4.

Pressure

5.

Specific Volume

6.

Specific Weight

7.

Specific Gravity

1. Density:
Density is the mass per unit volume of a fluid. In other words, it is the ratio between mass (m) and
volume (V) of a fluid.
Density is denoted by the symbol . Its unit is kg/m3.

In general, density of a fluid decreases with increase in temperature. It increases with increase in
pressure.
The ideal gas equation is given by:

The above equation is used to find the density of any fluid, if the pressure (P) and temperature (T)
are known.
Note: The density of standard liquid (water) is 1000 kg/m3.

2. Viscosity
Viscosity is the fluid property that determines the amount of resistance of the fluid to shear stress. It
is the property of the fluid due to which the fluid offers resistance to flow of one layer of the fluid over
another adjacent layer.
In a liquid, viscosity decreases with increase in temperature. In a gas, viscosity increases with
increase in temperature.

3. Temperature:
It is the property that determines the degree of hotness or coldness or the level of heat intensity of a
fluid. Temperature is measured by using temperature [Link] are 3 commonly used
temperature scales. They are
1.

Celsius (or centigrade) scale

2.

Fahrenheit scale

3.

Kelvin scale (or absolute temperature scale)

Kelvin scale is widely used in engineering. This is because, this scale is independent of properties of
a substance.

4. Pressure:
Pressure of a fluid is the force per unit area of the fluid. In other words, it is the ratio of force on a
fluid to the area of the fluid held perpendicular to the direction of the force.

Pressure is denoted by the letter P. Its unit is N/m2.

5. Specific Volume:
Specific volume is the volume of a fluid (V) occupied per unit mass (m). It is the reciprocal of density.
Specific volume is denoted by the symbol v. Its unit is m3/kg.

6. Specific Weight:
Specific weight is the weight possessed by unit volume of a fluid. It is denoted by w. Its unit is N/m 3.
Specific weight varies from place to place due to the change of acceleration due to gravity (g).

7. Specific Gravity:
Specific gravity is the ratio of specific weight of the given fluid to the specific weight of standard fluid.
It is denoted by the letter S. It has no unit.

Specific gravity may also be defined as the ratio between density of the given fluid to the density of
standard fluid.

The different types of fluids are:


Basically the fluids are classified into 5 types and these are
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Ideal fluid
Real fluid
Newtonian fluid
Non-Newtonian fluid, and
Ideal plastic fluid

1. Ideal Fluid: A fluid which can not be compressed and have no viscosity falls in the category of ideal
fluid. Ideal fluid is not found in actual practice but it is an imaginary fluid because all the fluid that
exist in the environment have some viscosity. there in no ideal fluid in reality.
2. Real Fluid: A fluid which has atleast some viscosity is called real fluid. Actually all the fluids existing
or present in the environment are called real fluids. for example water.
3. Newtonian Fluid: If a real fluid obeys the Newton's law of viscosity (i.e the shear stress is directly
proportional to the shear strain) then it is known as the Newtonian fluid.
4. Non-Newtonian Fluid: If real fluid does not obeys the Newton's law of viscosity then it is called NonNewtonian fluid.
5. Ideal Plastic Fluid: A fluid having the value of shear stress more than the yield value and shear
stress is proportional to the shear strain (velocity gradient) is known as ideal plastic fluid.
The graph between the shear stress and velocity gradient for the different types of fluids are given
below:

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