Mechanical Properties of

Fluids

Chapter 9
 Pascal’s Law
Pressure exerted at any point on an enclosed liquid is

equally transmitted in all directions

The pressure in a fluid at rest is same at all directions

Applications of Pascal’s Law

• Hydraulic Lift

• Hydraulic Brake

• Hydraulic Jack
Working of a hydraulic lift is based on ___________ law.
a) Pascal's law
b) Newton's law
c) Kepler's law

Pascals law states that pressure exerted at any point on an

enclosed liquid is equally transmitted in all directions
(a) State Pascal's law.

(b) The schematic diagram of a hydraulic lift is shown in figure.

Using Pascal's law, find the value of F2 in terms of A1 and A2.(A1 and
A2 are the areas of pistons)
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 The given figure shows the principle behind the hydraulic lift.

The radius of small piston is 5.0 cm and that of larger piston is 15 cm.
Calculate the force F, if the mass of the car to be lifted is 1350 kg (g =
9.8 m/s2)
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Three vessels of different shapes are filled with water to the same height ‘h’
and their bottom parts are connected to manometers measuring the
pressure. The water levels in all the vessels remain the same.

a) Identify the above phenomenon.

b) Blood pressure in humans is greater at the feet than at the brain. Explain
why.
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 Hydrostatic Paradox
The pressure exerted by a liquid column depends only on the
height of the liquid column and not on the shape of the
containing vessel.
The pressure of the atmosphere at any point is the weight of
the air column of a unit cross sectional area. Its unit is bar.

Identify the given diagram and write its use.

It is a barometer which is used to measure

atmospheric pressure
 Pressure Exerted by a liquid column
Consider the vessel given in the figure filled with a liquid
of density of ρ
Pressure Exerted by a liquid column
Weight of the liquid column exerts a pressure on the
bottom of the vessel
Pressure Exerted by a liquid column
 Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure exerted by the atmosphere at sea level

1 atm = 1.013 x 105 Pa = 760 torr

Variation of pressure with depth
 Variation of pressure with depth

Assume that liquid pressure is

same at all points which are at
same depth.
Calculate the pressure on a swimmer 10m below the
surface of a lake?
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 Smooth or Streamline Flow
It is a type of flow in which fluid in which travels in regular paths
 Smooth or Streamline Flow
In streamline or steady flow, the velocity of each fluid particle passing
through a given point remains constant in time
 Irregular or Turbulent Flow
Turbulent flow is defined as the flow in which the fluid particles
move in a ZIGZAG WAY
 Turbulent Flow
Turbulent flow is defined as the flow in which
the fluid particles move in a ZIGZAG WAY
 Differentiate streamline flow and turbulent flow?

In streamline flow or steady flow the velocity of fluid particles

reaching a particular point is SAME at all time

Turbulent flow is defined as the flow in which the fluid particles

move in a ZIGZAG WAY
A region of streamline flow of an incompressible fluid is shown
in the figure. By considering mass conservation in the fluid
flow, arrive at the ‘equation of continuity’
 Equation of Continuity
Consider the stream line flow of a incompressible(density
constant during flow) and non-viscous(no internal
friction) liquid flowing between sections A and B of a pipe
of varying cross-section
 Equation of Continuity
• Mass of fluid that flows through A in time ∆t =

• Mass of fluid that flows through A in time ∆t =

Equation of Continuity
Continuity equation is the law of conservation of
____________
 The flow of an ideal fluid in a pipe of varying cross section is shown
below:

State and prove Bernoulli's principle?

For a streamline flow, which is incompressible through a pipe, the

sum of pressure, kinetic energy per unit volume and Potential
energy per unit volume is CONSTANT
Pressure =

Kinetic Energy/Unit volume =

Potential Energy/Unit volume =

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 Bernoulli's theorem is based on __________?

A)mass B) momentum C) Energy

Write any two characteristics of a fluid that obey
Bernoulli's principle & Continuity equation ?

• Streamline flow

• Incompressible fluid
 Write Bernoulli's theorem for a
1) horizontal pipe
2) Fluid at rest
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 'When water flowing in a broader pipe enters into a
narrow pipe, its pressure decreases." Do you agree with
this statement? Explain.
When air is blown in between the two balls, will they
attract or repel?
Applications of Bernoulli's Principle
 Speed of Efflux: Torricelli’s Law
Using Bernoulli's principle, derive Torricelli’s equation
[Speed of Efflux]
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What is the speed of water coming from a hole of a tank
(speed of efflux) if top of tank is open to atmosphere?
 Viscosity
When liquid layer moves over another liquid layer, there is a

force of friction between the liquid layers opposing the

motion of layers
 Viscosity
This frictional force which opposes the relative motion

between the liquid(fluid) layers

 What is the unit of coefficient of viscosity from
newtons viscous formula?

• Consider a layer of liquid between two glass plates

• If the upper plate is pushed tangentially, it moves with velocity, v and
the liquid layers suffer a shearing strain
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Viscosity of gases _____ with temperature, whereas
viscosity of liquids _____with temperature
(increases/decreases)
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 Stoke’s Law
According to Stoke’s law, the backward viscous force

acting on a small spherical body of radius r moving with

uniform velocity(v) through fluid of viscosity η

Write the equation of Stoke’s law ? From this equation, on
which factors does a viscous force depend ?

According to Stoke’s law, the backward viscous force acting on

a small spherical body of radius r moving with uniform
velocity(vt) through fluid of viscosity η
Terminal Velocity
 Terminal Velocity

Consider a spherical body falling through a viscous

medium
When a body falls through a fluid, Name the velocity
of the body when the net force acting on it is zero ?
A solid sphere of radius ' 𝑟 ' and density ' 𝜌 ' is falling through a
viscous medium of density 𝜎 and coefficient of viscosity ' 𝜂 '.
(a) What are the different forces acting on the body ?
(b) Derive an expression for terminal velocity ?
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Rain drops falling under gravity do not acquire very high
velocity. Why ?

Rain drops acquire uniform velocity after certain

time
 Surface Tension
It is the property due to which the free surface of a liquid at

rest behaves like an elastic stretched membrane tending to

contract so as to occupy minimum surface area.

 Surface Tension
It is the tangential force per unit length acting

perpendicular to one side on an imaginary line of

molecules on the liquid meniscus

Surface tension =

Surface tension of water =

Effect of Temperature on Surface
Tension
 Pick the correct one :
When the temperature of a liquid increases, its surface
tension _______________?
(increases, decreases, remains the same)
Effects of Surface Tension
Which is better, washing of cloth in cool soap water
or warm soapy water? Why?

Warm water has less surface tension due to its high

temperature
a) When a painting brush dipped in water, its hairs cling
together. Why?

b) Hot soup taster better than cold soup

When the brush is taken out of water, the hairs cling together
due to surface tension. This happens because the free surface of
water tries to acquire a minimum surface area
Because the surface tension of the hot soup is less than that of
the cold and so spreads over a larger area of the tongue
 Surface Energy
Surface energy is defined as the work done to increase
the surface area of a liquid meniscus by unity
Surface Tension & Surface Energy
 Drops and Bubbles
• Due to surface tension, the liquid surface always tends
to have the minimum surface area.
• For a given volume, a sphere has a minimum surface
area.
• Hence, a small drops and bubbles of a liquid assume
SPHERICAL SHAPE.
Excess Pressure
Calculate the excess of pressure inside an air bubble of
radius 1 mm formed just below the free surface of water.
Given surface tension of water 72 x 10-3 N/m

Due to surface tension, liquid occupy minimum surface

area, sphere has minimum surface area hence spherical
shape
 What is the angle of contact?

The angle between the tangent drawn to the liquid

meniscus at the point of contact and solid part inside the
liquid
Concave and Convex meniscus
Different shapes of water drops on a lotus leaf and glass plate
are given below. Redraw it and mark the angle of contact in
each case
 What is meant by capillarity ?

The phenomenon of rise or fall of a liquid inside a

capillary tube when it is dipped in the liquid is called
capillarity.
 Water rises up in a narrow tube in spite of gravity.
This phenomenon is called _____________?

The ascent of liquid in tubes of very small

bore radius in spite of gravity is called
capillary rise

It is due to pressure difference at the

curved(concave or convex) free surface
 Derive an expression for the height of liquid
rise(capillary rise) in the tube in terms of the radius
of the tube and surface tension of the liquid
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The radius of a capillary tube is doubled. The height of capillary rise
will be

a) 2h

b) h

c) h/2

d) √𝒉
 On the surface of the moon, the liquid in a capillary tube will rise to the
.................

a) i. same height as on earth,

b) ii. less height as on earth

c) iii. more height than that on earth

d) iv. infinite height.

 Important Definitions
1) Pascals law definition and applications

2)Capillary rise

3)Surface tension applications

4)Terminal velocity

5)Streamline and turbulent flow

6)Angle of contact
 Important Derivations
1) Pascals law – working of hydraulic lift

2)Continuity equation

3)Bernoulli's principle

4)Terminal velocity

5)Capillary rise

6)Excess pressure in drop

 Type of Numerical
1) Pascals law problems

2)Terminal velocity problems

3)Bernoulli's principle Application problems

4)Excess pressure problems

5)Capillary rise problems

 Comment Your Answer…
The terminal velocity of a copper ball of radius 2.0 mm

falling through a tank of oil at 20°C is 6.5 cm/s.

Calculate the viscosity of the oil at 20°C(Density of oil is

1.5 × 103 kg/m3, a density of copper is 8.9 × 103 kg/m3

 Figures (a) and (b) refer to the steady flow of a (non-viscous)
liquid. Which one of the following two figures is INCORRECT?
 Comment Your Answer…
Figures (a) and (b) refer to the steady flow of a
(non-viscous) liquid. Which one of the following two
figures is INCORRECT?