Applied Mechanics II SAIT

AMEC 356
Lecture 1: The Nature of Fluids
Instructor: Dr. Onyekwelu Okeke Winter 2024/2025

1.1 Introduction to Fluids Mechanics

Fluid mechanics is the study of the behavior of fluids. The two branches of fluid mechanics are :
1. Fluid statics (Hydrostatics) - concerned with the behavior of fluid at rest.
2. Fluid dynamics (Hydrodynamics) - involves the study of fluid in motion.
Knowledge and understanding of the basic principles and concepts of fluid mechanics are essential
to analyze any system in which a fluid is the working medium. Figure 1.1(A) shows a complex
piping systems that use pumps to transfer fluids from tanks and move them through various pro-
cessing systems. In Fig. 1.1(B), we see a typical piping system for fluid power, showing how a
pressurized fluids can move a load.

Figure 1.1

The study of fluids also allows us to better understand our bodies and many interesting features of
our environment. Such as:
1. Water system in our home
2. How the heart moves the blood
3. How the fuel/gas in our car, travel from the tank to the engine
4. To predict our weather, hurricanes, and tornadoes
5. How the piping system use pump to transfer fluid from tanks and move them through the
various processing systems.

1
2 Lecture 1: The Nature of Fluids

1.2 Nature of fluids

Matter exist in 3-states: liquid, gas and solids. Figure 1.2 shows the arrangement of atoms in
different phases: (a) molecules are at relatively fixed positions in a solid, (b) groups of molecules
move about each other in the liquid phase, and (c) individual molecules move about at random in
the gas phase.

Figure 1.2

Both liquids and gases behave as fluids and the nature of a fluid is different to that of a solid. And
we know that fluids flow under the action of a force, and solids don’t - but solids do deform as
shown in Fig. 1.3. This implies that:
1. fluids lack the ability of solids to resist deformation.
2. fluids change shape as long as a force acts.

Figure 1.3

Therefore, a fluid is a substance that deforms continuously when acted upon by shearing force of
any size. The difference between liquid and gas are as follows:
• A gas expands and completely fills the space in which it is contained; a liquid usually has a
free surface if the volume of the container is greater than that of the liquid.
• Gases are readily compressible; liquids are only slightly compressible. This is due to their
different molecular spacing.
1.3. BASIC UNIT SYSTEM AND CONVERSIONS 3

Table 1.1: Units of common quantities used in fluid mechanics.

Quantity S.I.Units U.S.Units

Length meter (m) foot (ft)
Time second (s) second (s)
Mass kilogram (kg) slugs
Force newton (N) pound (lb)
Temperature degree Celsius (o C) degrees Fahrenheit (o F)

1.3 Basic Unit System and Conversions

In any technical work the units in which physical properties are measured must be stated. There
are several systems of units in use and we shall consider two systems that are commonly used in
engineering. They are: The S.I. and the U.S Customary system of units (or imperial units). Table
1.1 lists some basic quantities used in fluid mechanics.

One method for converting a value from one unit system to another is to use the concept of multi-
plying by unity.

Example 1: Convert 1250 millimeters to meters.

Solution

Example 2: Convert 0.391 cubic meters to cubic millimeters.

Solution

Example 3: Convert 55.0 gallons to cubic meters.

Solution

Example 4: An automobile is moving at 80 kilometers per hour. Calculate its speed in meters per
second.

Solution
4 Lecture 1: The Nature of Fluids

Example 5: An object is dropped from a height of 53 in. Neglecting air resistance, how long
would it take for the body to strike the ground? Use a = g = 32.2 ft/s2 .

Solution

Example 6: A piston/cylinder arrangement as shown in Fig. 1.4 is used to pump liquid. It moves
a volume of liquid equal to its displacement, for each revolution of the crank. Determine
(a) The displacement, in litres, for one revolution of a pump with a 75-mm diameter piston and
100 mm-stroke
(b) The flow rate, in m3 /h, for another another that has a displacement of 2.2 L/revolution is run at
80 revolution/min (rpm).

Figure 1.4

Solution
1.4. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FLIUD 5

1.4 Physical Properties of Fliud

A fluid has certain characteristics by which its physical condition may be described. These char-
acteristics are known as the properties of the fluid.

1.4.1 Pressure
Pressure is defined as the amount of force exerted on a unit surface of a substance or on a surface.
This can be stated by the equation

F
p = , N/m2
A
Two important principles about pressure were described by Blaise Pascal, a seventeenth century
scientist:
• Pressure acts uniformly in all directions on a small volume of a fluid at rest.
• In a fluid confined by solid boundaries, pressure acts perpendicular to the boundary.
Example 7: Calculate the pressure produced in the oil in a closed cylinder by a piston with diam-
eter 7.5 cm exerting a force of 11175 N.

Solution

Example 8: The maximum pressure that can be developed for a certain fluid power cylinder is
5000 psi. Compute the required diameter for the piston if the cylinder must exert a force of 20000
lb.

Solution

1.4.2 Density
Density is the mass per unit volume of a substance. The coherent SI unit of density is the kilogram
per cubic meter and the symbol designation used is ρ (Rho).

m
ρ = , kg/m3
V
The density of water between 0°C and 15°C is close to 1000 kg/m3 . It has a maximum at 4°C.
Above 15°C, the density drops steadily to a density of 958 kg/m3 at 100°C as shown in Fig. 1.5.
6 Lecture 1: The Nature of Fluids

Figure 1.5

1.4.3 Specific Weight

Specific Weight is the amount of weight per unit volume of a substance

w
γ = , N/m3
V

1.4.4 Specific Gravity

Specific gravity is relative measure of density. The specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a
substance to the density of water at 4o C. A hydrometer can be used to measure the specific gravity
of a liquid directly. It can also be defined as the ratio of the specific weight of a substance to the
specific weight of water at 4°C

ρs γs
sg = =
ρw @4°C γw @4°C

ρw @4°C = 1000 kg/m3

γw @4°C = 9.81 kN/m3

The imperial equivalent is given as:

ρw @4°C = 1.94 slugs/ft3

γw @4°C = 62.4 lb/ft3
g = 32.2 ft/s2
1.5. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPECIFIC WEIGHT AND DENSITY 7

1.5 Relationship between Specific Weight and Density

Recall that w = mg, where g is acceleration due to gravity

w = mg (1.1)
m
ρ = , ⇒ m = ρV (1.2)
V
Eqn. 1.1 becomes:
w = ρV g
specific weight:
w ρV g
γ = =
V V

γ = ρg
Using other method:
w = mg (1.3)
specific weight:
w
γ = (1.4)
V

From Eqn. 1.3

mg
γ=
V

γ = ρg
Example 9: Calculate the weight of a reservoir of oil if it has a mass of 825 kg. If this reservoir
has a volume of 0.917 m3 , compute the density, the specific weight, and the specific gravity of the
oil.

Solution
8 Lecture 1: The Nature of Fluids

Example 10: If 1 cup of cream having a density of 1005 kg/m3 is turned into 3 cups of whipped
cream, determine the specific gravity and the specific weight of the whipped cream.

Solution
1.5. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPECIFIC WEIGHT AND DENSITY 9

Example 11: A cylinder tank with diameter 12.0 m contains water at 20°C to a depth of 4.0 m.
If the water is heated to 65°C, what is the depth of the water? (Assume that the tank dimensions
remain constant and that there are no losses due to evaporation).

Solution

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