Continuum assumption:

Knudsen number =
: mean free path
L: characteristic length
When 1, continuum assumption is accurate.

Dimensions and Units:

Primary dimensions
Secondary dimensions

Dimensional Homogeneity:
Dimensional homogeneity requires that the primary dimensions
of each term of an equation must be the same.
1

Idea Gas Law (IGL):

=
: the amount of gas measured in mole
: universal gas constant (8.314/ ). Same for all gases.
: absolute temperature in Kelvin.

: molecular mass
(gas constant, different for different gases)
for air = 287 /

Properties of Fluids

Mass Density ():

=

lim
0

Water: = 1000 /3 at 4 oC, change slightly with T

Air: = 2.2 /3 at 20 oC, change significantly with T

Specific Weight ():

=

: gravity constant

Specific Gravity ( or ):
=

,4

,4

(dimensionless number)

At 20 oC, = 13.6
4

Bulk Modulus of Elasticity (compressibility of fluid) ( ):

change in pressure

=
=
fractional change in volume

From =
= + = 0

(What is the dimension of ?)

For water: = 2.2 /2 ,

very high, nearly incompressible
For idea gas and for constant temperature process (isothermal)
=
= =

= = =

Constant density and incompressible assumption:

Constant density means the density of a fluid can be assumed to
be constant spatially and temporally.
Incompressible means that the density of each fluid particle is
independent of pressure.
Liquids are commonly assumed to be incompressible.
Gases are also assumed to be incompressible because pressure
variations are not large enough to cause significant density
changes.
But for high-speed flows, gas needs to be modeled as
compressible fluid, and Mach number M can be used to determine
whether it is incompressible:

: speed of sound (340m/s at 20 oC). When < 0.3, gas flows can
be treated as constant density (<5% variation in density).
6

Vapor pressure ( ):
The pressure at which liquid will vaporized (boil) at a given
temperature.

increases as
increases

Cavitation:

Surface Tension ():

Because of unbalanced
molecular attraction, the
interface acts like a
stretched membrane, so
the liquid surface exerts
tensile force on adjacent
portions of the surface or
on objects that in contact
with the surface.
=

Force along the interface

Length of the interface

Surface Tension ():

Because of surface tension, the liquid droplet tends to be

spherical (minimal area) and insects can stand and walk on water.

Surface Tension ():

decreases as T
increases

Force due to surface tension: = ,

Direction: parallel to the surface, but perpendicular to the
contact line.

10

Surface Tension () Examples:

Find the pressure difference = =?

droplet

soap bubble

Read Example 2.5 in the textbook.

11