Module1, 2, 3 Fluid mechanics

Week 1
Books to follow

1. F. M. White, Fluid Mechanics

 Introduction:
2. Fm by kodandaraman
3. Fm by rk bansal  Dimensions and units:
4. Fm by Robert w fox
o Basic units M, L, t, T
o Unit systems ( SI, metric
systems etc)
 Fluid properties
o Density or mass density
o Specific weight or weight
density
o Specific gravity
 Viscosity
 Newton’s law of viscosity
o Type of fluids
 Compressibility and bulk modulus
 Surface tension
 Capillarity
 Concept of continuum

Note: All the data taken from the above text books with
some additional explanation.
The given data is only for initiation and it acts as a guide
it is better to go through the text books.

1
 Dimensions and
Units: A dimension is the measure by which a physical variable is
expressed quantitatively.
Dimension is a powerful concept about which a splendid tool
called dimensional analysis has been developed

In general there are only four basic dimensions from which the
other dimensions are derived. They are
Length {L}
Mass {M}
Time {t}
Temperature {T}

Every other dimension such as velocity acceleration, density etc,

are represented with these four basic dimensions
For example units of velocity = meter/second
= Length/time
=L/T=>LT-1
Acceleration = m/s2=L/T2=LT-2

Properties of fluid: Fluid property is defined as a characteristic of the material

structure of the fluid. All the fluid properties are variables rather
than constants and assumed to be functions of space and time.

Density: (ρ)
The ration of mass of the fluid to its volume is called density
Or
Fluid Density The concentration of mass in particular volume
kg/m3 Density ρ = mass of fluid/volume of fluid
Air 1.204 Densities of different fluids which are useful in our daily life
Petrol 737
Kerosene 817
Diesel 820-950
Coconut oil 924
Castor oil 956
Water 1000
Milk 1020-1050
Mercury 13600 2
 Weight density or
The specific weight of a fluid is the ratio of weight of the fluid to
specific weight: (γ) the volume of the fluid

γ = weight/volume
= mg/v
= ρg since (m/v= ρ)

Specific gravity or
relative density:SG Specific gravity, denoted by SG, is the ratio of the density of the
fluid to the density of standard fluid.

For liquids water is the standard fluid and

For gases air is the standard fluid.
For example:
Specific gravity of mercury = density of mercury/density of water
= 13600/1000=13.6
Specific gravity of milk = density of milk/density of water
=1020/1000=1.2

3
 Viscosity (or)
Viscosity is a property of the fluid which resists the fluid to flow
Dynamic viscosity: µ Or
The resistance offered to the flow of a fluid is called viscosity
Or
The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to flow.
Viscosity is a measure of the importance of friction in fluid flow.
The higher the value of the viscosity then the greater is the
resistance. So, a substance with a low viscosity will flow more
freely than another substance with a higher viscosity.

Velocity
profile

Fig:1
Let us assume a fluid is flowing over a fixed plate with a velocity
u. The surface of the fluid is present at a distance of y4 from the
fixed plate. The velocity of the fluid particles flowing near the
plate that is at yo is zero and the velocity of the fluid particles
flowing at the surface that is at y4 is umax as shown in figure 1.

The fluid particles at the free surface will move with a velocity of
free stream velocity and the fluid particles at the plate moves with
zero velocity. The velocity variation of the fluid particles from the
plate to the surface is shown in the figure.
The top row that is row 4 molecules exert a shear stress τ on row 3
molcules and creates velocity gradient du/dy.
The viscosity of the fluid in this case can be expressed as
Viscosity = shear stress/velocity gradient
that is µ=τ/(du/dy)
In general the word viscosity means dynamic viscosity otherwise
it will mention as kinematic viscosity if nothing is specified then
we have to assume it as dynamic viscosity
The SI unit for dynamic viscosity is pascal second [Pa s]
1 Pa s = 1 newton second/square metre

Another unit often used is the 'poise' where

10 poise = 1 Pa s

4
 Kinematic Viscosity:
Kinematic viscosity of a substance is a measure of its dynamic
ν viscosity per unity density of that substance.
The SI unit is sq.metre/second but, as that is such a large unit,
many prefer the 'stoke' where
10,000 stokes = 1 sq.metre/second
or 1stoke=1cm2/s

Newton’s law of Newton’s law of viscosity states that the shear stress is directly
viscosity: proportional to the rate of shear strain.

τ= µ (du/dy)
Fluids which obey Newton’s law are called Newtonian fluids and
which does not obey are called non-Newtonian fluids

Types of fluids:
Newtonian fluids
Non-Newtonian fluids
Ideal fluids
Real fluids
Bingham
Pseudoplastics

Fluidity:
The measure of the fluidity of a substance is given by the
reciprocal of its dynamic viscosity.

Compressibility and bulk

modulus:

5
Surface Tension: σ
The tension exerted between two fluid surfaces when they are in
contact is called surface tension.

Air

water

picture a. Picture b.

In the above picture a. water is present in the beaker and air is

present above the water surface a tensile membrane (thin layer) of
water forms between the two fluids as shown in the figure b.

Many of us would have seen the demonstration of a needle being

supported on water surface without it being wetted. This is due to
the surface tension of water.

All liquids exhibit a free surface known as meniscus when in

contact with vapour or gas. Liquid molecules exhibit cohesive

6
 forces binding them with each other. The molecules below the
surface are generally free to move within the liquid and they move
at random. When they reach the surface they reach a dead end in
the sense that no molecules are present in great numbers above the
surface to attract or pull them out of the surface. So they stop and
return back into the liquid. A thin layer of few atomic thicknesses
at the surface formed by the cohesive bond between atoms slows
down and sends back the molecules reaching the surface. This
cohesive bond exhibits a tensile strength for the surface layer and
this is known as surface tension. Force is found necessary to
stretch the surface.

Surface tension may also be defined as the work in Nm/m2 or

N/m required to create unit surface of the liquid. The work is
actually required for pulling up the molecules with lower energy
from below, to form the surface.
Another definition for surface tension is the force required to keep
unit length of the surface film in equilibrium (N/m). The
formation of bubbles, droplets and free jets are due to the surface
tension of the liquid.
Capillarity:

The rise or fall of liquid surface when the fluid come into contact
with any other solid bodies.(refer the book rk bansal )

Continuum:
As gas molecules are far apart from each other and as there is
empty space between molecules doubt arises as to whether a gas
volume can be considered as a continuous matter like a solid for
situations similar to application of forces.
Under normal pressure and temperature levels, gases are
considered as a continuum (i.e., as if no empty spaces exist
between atoms). The test for continuum is to measure properties
like density by sampling at different locations and also reducing
the sampling volume to low
levels. If the property is constant irrespective of the location and
size of sample volume, then the gas body can be considered as a
continuum for purposes of mechanics (application of force,
consideration of acceleration, velocity etc.) and for the gas volume
to be considered as a single body or entity. This is a very
important test for the application of all laws of mechanics to a gas
volume as a whole. When the pressure is extremely low, and when
there are only few molecules in a cubic metre of volume, then the
laws of mechanics should be applied to the molecules as entities
and not to the gas body as a whole. In this text, only systems
satisfying continuum requirements are discussed. (from text book
kodandaraman)