FLUID MECHANICS - Fluid mechanics is a Specific weight or unit weight of fluid is the

physical science dealing with the action of fluids ratio between the weight of a fluid to its volume.
at rest or in motion, and with applications and Some reference call it weight density.
devices in engineering using fluids.
Specific Gravity is defined as the ratio of the
TWO MAJOR AREAS OF FLUID MECHANICS density (or specific weight) of a fluid to the density
●​ FLUID STATICS / HYDROSTATICS - (or specific weight) of a standard fluid. Specific
deals with fluid at rest gravity is a dimensionless quantity that is also
●​ FLUID DYNAMICS / HYDRODYNAMICS called Relative Density
- concerned with fluids in motion
Gases are compressible fluids and hence
Hydrodynamics is applied to the flow of liquids thermodynamics properties play an important
or to low-velocity gas flows where the gas can be role. With the change in pressure and
considered as being essentially incompressible. temperature, the gases undergo large variation in
density. The relationship between pressure
Hydraulics deals with the application of fluid (absolute), specific volume and temperature
mechanics to engineering devices involving (absolute) of a gas is given by the equation of
liquids, usually water or oil. states as

IDEAL FLUIDS
●​ Assumed to have no viscosity (no
resistance to shear)
●​ Incompressible
●​ Have uniform velocity when flowing
●​ No friction between moving layers of fluid
●​ No eddy currents or turbulence

REAL FLUIDS
●​ Exhibit infinite viscosities ●​ ISOTHERMAL PROCESS - If the change
●​ Non-uniform velocity distribution when in density occurs at constant temperature,
flowing then the process is called isothermal and
●​ Compressible relationship between pressure and density
●​ Experience friction and turbulence in flow is given by:

TYPES OF REAL FLUIDS ●​ ADIABATIC PROCESS - If the change in

1.​ NEWTONIAN FLUIDS - A real fluid, in density occurs with no heat exchange to
which the shear stress is directly and from the gas, the process is called
proportional to the rate of shear strain (or adiabatic. And if no hear is generated
velocity gradient) within the gas due to friction, the
2.​ NON - NEWTONIAN FLUIDS - A real relationship between pressure and density
fluid, in which the shear stress is not is given by:
proportional to the rate of shear strain (or Where: k = ratio of specific heat of gas at
velocity gradient) constant pressure and constant volume. 1.4 for
3.​ IDEAL PLASTIC FLUID - A fluid in which air
shear stress is more than the yield value,
and shear stress is proportional to the rate Bulk Modulus of Elasticity of the fluid expresses
of shear strain (velocity gradient) the compressibility of fluid. It is the ratio of the
change in unit pressure to the corresponding
Density or mass density of fluid is defined as volume change per unit of volume.
the ratio of the mass of a fluid to its volume.
Compressibility is the measure of fluid’s ability PASCAL’S LAW
to change volume in response to pressure. A fluid “Pressure in a continuously distributed uniform
that can significantly decrease its volume when static fluid varies only with vertical distance and is
pressure increases is called a compressible fluid. independent of the shape of the container. The
It is the fractional change in the volume of a fluid pressure is the same at all points on a given
per unit change in pressure in a constant horizontal plane in the fluid. The pressure
temperature process. increases with depth in the fluid.”

The membrane of ‘skin’ that seems to form on the

free surface of a fluid is due to the intermolecular
cohesive forces and is known as ‘surface
tension’. Surface tension is the reason that
insects are able to sit on water and a needle is
able to float on it.

-​ Surface tension on Liquid Droplet

-​ Surface tension on Hollow Bubble The pressure at any point in a fluid at rest is
-​ Surface tension on Liquid Jet obtained by the Hydrostatic Law which states
-​ Surface tension in a cylinder supported by that the rate of increase of pressure in a vertically
forces downward direction must be equal to the specific
weight of the fluid at that point.
Capillarity is defined as a phenomenon of rise or
fall of a liquid surface in a small tube relative to MANOMETERS – defined as the devices used
the adjacent general level of liquid when the tube for measuring the pressure at a point in a fluid by
is held vertically in the liquid. balancing the column of fluid by the same or
another column of the fluid.
Celerity is the speed at which an infinitesimally ●​ Simple Manometers
small pressure wave travels through a fluid ●​ Differential Manometers
medium. This is also known as speed of sound or
the sonic speed. MECHANICAL GAUGES – defined as the
devices used for measuring the pressure by
Mach Number, (Ma) named after the Australian balancing the fluid column by the spring or dead
physicist Ernst Mach, it is the ratio of the actual weight. Common mechanical gauges
speed of the fluid (or an object in still fluid) to the ●​ Diaphragm Pressure Gage
speed of sound in the same fluid at the same ●​ Bourdon tube Pressure Gage
state. ●​ Dead-weight Pressure Gage
●​ Bellows Pressure gage

Piezometer – simplest form of manometer used

for measuring gage pressures. One end of this
manometer is connected to the point where
pressure is to be measured and the other end is
open to the atmosphere
Pressure is the force per unit area exerted by a
liquid or gas on a body or surface, with the force U-tube Manometers – consists of glass tube
acting at right angles to the surface uniformly in bent in U-shape, one end of which is connected
all directions. to a point at which pressure is to be measured
and the other end remains open to the
Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by atmosphere. The tube generally contains mercury
a fluid at rest at any point due to the force of or any other liquid whose specific gravity is
gravity.
greater than the specific gravity of the liquid
whose pressure is to be measured.

Inclined –Tube Manometer - is a manometer

typically used to measure very low pressure. The
inclination of the tube will produce a large liquid
movement for a small amount of pressure, so
reading can be precise.
​
U-Tube Differential Manometer – devices used
for measuring the difference in pressures
between two points in a pipe or in two different
pipes.

Inverted U-Tube Differential Manometer – it is

used for measuring difference of low pressures