MAE 308, Fluid Mechanics

Spring 2013
Homework Assignment 1
Handed out: January 16, 2013
Due: January 23, 2013
Problem 1 (10 points)
To determine the flow rate of water at 20oC through a hose, a student finds that the hose fills a
55-gallon drum in 2 minutes and 37 seconds. Estimate
(a) the volume flow rate in m3/s; and
(b) the weight flow in N/s.
Problem 2 (10 points)
A fluid is weighted in a laboratory. It is found that 1.5 U.S. gallons of fluid weigh 136.2 ounces.
(a) What is the density of the fluid, in kg/m3 ?
(b) What fluid could this be ? Assume standard gravity g = 9.807 m/s2.
Problem 3 (10 points)
The efficiency of a pump is defined as

Qp
Input Power

where Q is volume flow rate and p pressure rise produced by the bump. What is if p = 35
psi, Q=40 L/s, and input power is 16 horsepower ?
Problem 4 (10 points)
In 1908, Prandtl's student Heinrich Blasius proposed the follow formula for the wall shear stress
w at a position x in viscous flow at velocity V past a flat surface:

w 0.332 1 / 2 1 / 2V 3 / 2 x 1 / 2
Determine the dimensions of the constant 0.332.
Problem 5 (10 points)
Sir Isaac Newton measured speed of sound by timing the difference between seeing a cannon's
puff of smoke and hearing its boom. If the cannon is on a mountain 5.2 miles away, estimate the
air temperature in oC if the time difference is
(a) 24.2 s ;
(b) 25.1 s.
Problem 6 (20 points)
In Fig. 1, if the fluid is glycerin at 20oC and the width between plates is 6 mm, what shear stress
(in Pa) is required to move the upper plate at V = 5.5 m/s ? What is the flow Reynolds number if
"L" is taken to be the distance between plates ? Note: Use the fluid properties in Table 1.6.

Moving Plate
V
L

glycerin

Fixed Plate
Figure 1. illustration of glycerin between a moving plate and a fixed plate.
Problem 7 (30 points)
When a person ice-skates, the ice surface actually melts beneath blades, so that he or she skates
on a thin film of water between the blade and ice.
(a) Find an expression for total friction force F on the bottom of the blade as a function of skater
velocity V, blade length L, water film thickness h, water viscosity , and blade width W.
(b) Suppose a skater of mass m, moving at constant speed Vo, suddenly stands stiffly with skates
pointed directly forward and allows herself to coast to a stop. Neglecting air resistance, how far
will she travel (on two blades) before she stops ? Give the answer X as a function of (Vo, m, L, h,
, W).
(c) Compute X for the case Vo= 4m/s, m=100 kg, L=30 cm, W=5 mm, and h=0.1 mm. Do you
think our assumption of negligible air resistance was a good one ?