FLUIDS AND FLUID

STATICS
(The study about the static status of fluids where there is no
motion, hence not depends on the fluids’ viscosity)
Pressure is due to the net force of the
molecules in a fluid colliding with the walls.

A very large number of

collisions happen each
second.

Each collision exerts a tiny

net force on the wall.
 Definition: Pressure
A fluid in a container presses with an outward force
against the walls of that container. The pressure is
defined as the ratio of the force to the area on which the
force is exerted.

The SI units of pressure are N/m2, also defined as the

pascal, where 1 pascal = 1 Pa = 1 N/m2.
Other units:
1 atm =
1 mmHg = 133 Pa
1 kPa = 103 Pa
1 psi = 6890 Pa
Pressure

There are two contributions to the pressure in a

container of fluid:
1. A gravitational
contribution, due to
gravity pulling down on
the liquid or gas.
2. A thermal contribution,
due to the collisions of
freely moving gas
molecules within the
walls, which depends
on gas temperature.

Slide 15-31
Types of pressure:
- Atmospheric pressure: equal to 0 (unit) as gauge pressure or vacuum
pressure, equal to 1 (at) as absolute pressure.
- Gauge (gage) pressure: the pressure difference between a system and the
surrounding atmosphere.
- Vaccum pressure: the difference between atmospheric pressure and
absolute pressure (if absolute pressure is less than atmospheric pressure).
- Absolute pressure: the pressure compared with the zero pressure of empty
space (i.e. a vacuum).

N
1at 105
m2
kg
1 2
cm
760mmHg
10mH 2O 14,7 PSI
 Atmospheric Pressure

The global average

sea-level pressure is
Pa, or 1 atm.
 Gauge Pressure
Pressure gauges, such as tire gauges and blood pressure
monitors, measure not the actual or absolute pressure p but
what is called gauge pressure pg.

where 1 atm = 1.01×105 Pa.

• ie “120 over 80” means the maximum gauge pressure in

your arteries is 120 mmHg or 1.6×104 Pa.

• The actual, or “absolute” pressure in your arteries has a

maximum of p = pg + 1atm
= 1.6×104 + 1.01×105 Pa = 1.17×105 Pa
 Pressure measurement
- Manometer:

- Vacuumeter:

- M – V:
Questions:
 Express a gauge pressure of 155 kPa as abs pressure.
 Express a vacuum pressure of 31 kPa as abs pressure.
 Know that surrounding pressure is 101 kPa.

Answers:
Pabs = Pgauge + Patm
Pabs = 155 + 101 = 256 kPa

Pabs = -31 + 101 = 70 kPa

7. Compressibility
dv
 
Vdp

11
8. Viscosity

dv N
F  . A. ;N
3
10 2
s 1 centiPoise (cP)
m
dn 1 N
2
s 1 Poise (P)
10 m
1 Pa.s = 1 N.s/m = 1 kg/m.s
2

1 poise = dyne.s/cm2 = g/cm.s = 0,1 Pa.s

12
Viscosity of a gas: increases with temperature.
Viscosity of a liquid: decreases when temperature increases.
Not dependent on pressure.
Viscosity of a homogeneous liquid mixture:
1 yi
lgmix = m1lg1 + m2lg2 + … + milgi . Or: 
μ μi
mi : volumetric fraction of i in the mixture

If 2 liquids A and B have similar physical

properties :
lg μ A,T1  lg μ A,T2
K const
lg μ B,T1  lg μ B,T2

Kinetic viscosity:

1 St = 100 cSt
1 cSt = 10-6 m2/s

13
 THE CONVENTIONAL EQUATION OF FLUID STATICS

Static fluid pressure: consider an element inside fluid, the surface of the
element receives a hydrostatic pressure by the liquid as P along its
perpendicular direction.

ΔP
Pt lim
A 0 A
Pressure in Liquids

 The shaded cylinder of

liquid in the figure, like the
rest of the liquid, is in static
equilibrium with net = 0 .
 Balancing the forces in the
free-body diagram:

 The volume of the cylinder is

V = Ad and its mass is m = Ad.
 Solving for pressure:
Hydrostatic pressure
Hydrostatic pressure at a point inside a fluid is equal in all direction.
Hydrostatic pressure at a point is linearly increasing corresponding to its level
compared with the free surface of the fluid.

p= g  h

Hydrostatic pressure inside a fluid is equal as long as it reaches the same

level.

p1 p3 p1 = p2 = p3
p2
Example 15.3 The Pressure on a Submarine
Liquids in Hydrostatic Equilibrium

 No!
 A connected liquid in hydrostatic equilibrium rises to
the same height in all open regions of the container.
Slide 15-40
QuickCheck 15.2

What can you say about

the pressures at points
1 and 2?

A. p1 > p2.
B. p1 = p2.
C. p1 < p2.

Slide 15-41
QuickCheck 15.2

What can you say about

the pressures at points
1 and 2?

A. p1 > p2.
B. p1 = p2.
C. p1 < p2.

Hydrostatic pressure is the same at all points on a

horizontal line through a connected fluid.

Slide 15-42
Liquids in Hydrostatic Equilibrium

 No!
 The pressure is the same at all points on a horizontal line
through a connected liquid in hydrostatic equilibrium.
Slide 15-43
QuickCheck 15.3

An iceberg floats in a
shallow sea. What can
you say about the
pressures at points
1 and 2?

A. p1 > p2.
B. p1 = p2.
C. p1 < p2.

Slide 15-44
QuickCheck 15.3

An iceberg floats in a
shallow sea. What can
you say about the
pressures at points
1 and 2?

A. p1 > p2.
B. p1 = p2.
C. p1 < p2.

Hydrostatic pressure is the same at all points on a

horizontal line through a connected fluid.
Slide 15-45
Manometers
U-tube manomet p1 = px

p1
p2=pa px = py

z pz= p2 = pa
Density  h
x y py - pz = gh
 The figure shows a manometer: p1 - pa = gh
a U-shaped tube connected to
the gas at one end and open to
air at the other.
 The tube is filled with liquid
mercury of
density .
 Steps 1-3 from Tactics Box 15.1
are shown.
 Since p1 = p2:
Example 15.6 Using a Manometer
Example 15.6 Using a Manometer
Barometers
Barometer
 Figure (a) shows a glass
tube, sealed at the bottom
and filled with liquid.
 We seal the top end,
invert the tube, place it in
an open container of the
same liquid, and remove
the seal.
 This device, shown in
figure (b), is a barometer.
 We measure the height h
of the liquid in the tube.
 Since p1 = p2:

Slide 15-57
 vacuum p1 = 0
Barometer

p2 - p1 = gh pa = gh

Ex: Atmospheric pressure ~105 Pa h

p2 = pa
Water barometer:
h = pa/g =105/(103*9.8) ~10m (H2O)

Mercury barometer:
h = pa/g =105/(13.4*103*9.8) ~800mm (Hg)
A
Pa
A  a
h
h g

B a  B
Pa h
g
h

B  A
A
B h
g

h
Communicating vessels: a set of containers containing a homogeneous fluid:
when the liquid settles, it balances out to the same level in all of the containers
regardless of the shape and volume of the containers. If additional liquid is added
to one vessel, the liquid will again find a new equal level in all the connected
vessels.

[1]

if then h1 = h2 [2]
If the communicating vessels are filled with different fluids, the
heights of the fluid columns (measured from the surface
where the fluids are in contact with each other) are inversely
proportional to the densities.

p1  p0  g1h1
p2  p0  g 2 h2

1 h1  2 h2
h1  2

h2 1
Example 15.4 Pressure in a Closed Tube
What can you say about
the pressures at points
1, 2, and 3?

A. p1 = p2 = p3.
B. p1 = p2 > p3.
C. p3 > p1 = p2.
D. p3 > p1 > p2.
E. p1 = p3 > p2.
What can you say about
the pressures at points
1, 2, and 3?

A. p1 = p2 = p3.
B. p1 = p2 > p3.
C. p3 > p1 = p2.
D. p3 > p1 > p2.
E. p1 = p3 > p2.
Hydrostatic pressure is the same at all points on a
horizontal line through a connected fluid.
 CONVENTIONAL EQUATION OF FLUID STATICS
Z + P/ρg = const or Z.ρ.g + P = const
(with ρ = const or in the other words, in the same fluid)
(for the two points A and B inside the fluid ZA + PA/g = ZB + PB/g)

p 
  z  constant Piezometric head
 
 p1   p2 
Hydrostatic Equation   z1    z2 
    
Hydrostatic Equation applies only in a fluid with a
constant specific weight.

It applies to two point in the same fluid but not across

an interface of two fluids having different specific
weight.
Example: Fluid pressure on the bottom of the container:

Take the model surface as the bottom of the

P0 P0  Pmin container
Hmax = 0,
Hmin = H0
Hmax.ρ.g + Pmax = Hmin.ρ.g + Pmin
Pmax = H0.ρ.g + Pmin
max 0   .g. 0
Another expression

Obtained or

Standard surface
 Pressure unit:
P = P0 + gh P P0
 h
g g
P = N/m2 = Pa
P
1MPa = 103 Kpa = 106 Pa
 mfluid
g
1 at = 9,81.104 Pa 1at10mH2O
1 bar = 105 Pa 1at760mmHg
1tor1mmHg
1 Psi = 0,07 at
Example:

A furnace with a chimney as high as H (m). Density of the exhausted smoke

was  and the density of surrounded air was k . Determine the pressure of
the smoke inside the furnace so that smoke can release well from the
chimney.
Solution:

Surrounded pressure at the bottom of the chimney: Pa1 = Pa2 + k gH

Pa2 = surrounded pressure at the top of the chimney.

Smoke pressure at the bottom of the chimney: P1 = Pa2 + gH

Difference between pressure of air and smoke at the bottom of the chimney:

Pv = Pa1 – P1 = k gH - gH = g(k - )H

Therefore, the air density needs to be more than smoke density so that smoke
cannot leak out of the chimney.
PASCAL’S PRINCIPLE (LAW) :
a pressure change occurring anywhere in
a confined incompressible fluid is
transmitted throughout the fluid such that
the same change occurs everywhere
The Hydraulic Lift

 Consider a hydraulic
lift, such as the one
that lifts your car at
the repair shop.
 The system is in
static equilibrium if:

Force-multiplying factor If h is small, negligible

The Hydraulic Lift

 Suppose we need to
lift the car higher.
 If piston 1 is pushed
down a distance d1,
the car is lifted higher
by a distance d2:

Work is done on the liquid by the small force; work is done by

the liquid when it lifts the heavy weight.
What about PE grav of the liquid!!!
Example 15.7 Lifting a Car
Example 15.7 Lifting a Car
ARCHIMEDES’ PRINCIPLE
Buoyancy (Archimede’s principle)

 Consider a cylinder
submerged in a liquid.
 The pressure in the liquid
increases with depth.
 Both cylinder ends have
equal area, so Fup > Fdown.
 The pressure in the liquid
exerts a net upward force
on the cylinder:
Fnet = Fup – Fdown.
 This is the buoyant force.

Slide 15-64
Buoyancy

The buoyant force on an object is the same as the

buoyant force on the fluid it displaces.

Slide 15-65
Buoyancy
 When an object (or portion of an object) is immersed in
a fluid, it displaces fluid.
 The displaced fluid’s volume equals the volume of the
portion of the object that is immersed in the fluid.

 Suppose the fluid has density f and the object displaces

volume Vf of fluid.
 Archimedes’ principle in equation form is:
QuickCheck

A heavy lead block and a light aluminum block of

equal sizes are both submerged in water. Upon
which is the buoyant force greater?

A. On the lead block.

B. On the aluminum block.
C. They both experience the same buoyant force.
QuickCheck

A heavy lead block and a light aluminum block of

equal sizes are both submerged in water. Upon
which is the buoyant force greater?

A. On the lead block.

B. On the aluminum block.
C. They both experience the same buoyant force.

Same size  both displace the same volume and weight of water.
Holding a Block of Wood Underwater

VISUALIZE
Holding a Block of Wood Underwater
Tactics: Finding Whether an Object Floats or Sinks
Tactics: Finding Whether an Object Floats or Sinks
Tactics: Finding Whether an Object Floats or Sinks
QuickCheck

Two blocks are of identical size. One is made of

lead and sits on the bottom of a pond; the other is
of wood and floats on top. Upon which is the
buoyant force greater?

A. On the lead block.

B. On the wood block.
C. They both experience the same buoyant force.
QuickCheck

Two blocks are of identical size. One is made of

lead and sits on the bottom of a pond; the other is
of wood and floats on top. Upon which is the
buoyant force greater?

A. On the lead block.

B. On the wood block.
C. They both experience the same buoyant force.

The fully submerged lead block displaces more much water than
the wood block.
A Floating Object

The volume of fluid displaced

by a floating object of uniform
density is:

The volume of the displaced

fluid is less than the volume of
the uniform-density object:
A Floating Object

 Most icebergs break off

glaciers and are fresh-
water ice with a density of
917 kg/m3.
 The density of seawater is
1030 kg/m3.

 89% of the volume of an

iceberg is underwater!
QuickCheck

Which floating block is most

dense?

A. Block a.
B. Block b.
C. Block c.
D. Blocks a and b are tied.
E. Blocks b and c are tied.
QuickCheck

Which floating block is most

dense?

A. Block a.
B. Block b.
C. Block c.
D. Blocks a and b are tied.
E. Blocks b and c are tied.
QuickCheck

Blocks a, b, and c are all the

same size. Which experiences
the largest buoyant force?

A. Block a.
B. Block b.
C. Block c.
D. All have the same
buoyant force.
E. Blocks a and c have the
same buoyant force, but
the buoyant force on block
b is different.
QuickCheck

Blocks a, b, and c are all the

same size. Which experiences
the largest buoyant force?

A. Block a.
B. Block b.
C. Block c.
D. All have the same
buoyant force.
E. Blocks a and c have the
same buoyant force, but
the buoyant force on block
b is different.
Boats

 The figure shows

a basic model of
a boat.
 The boat will float if
the weight of the
displaced water
equals the weight
of the boat.
 The minimum height of the sides is:
Exercise. Find the pressure at the bottom of a water container with h =

2m,  = 1000 kg/m3. Atmospheric pressure is rounded as 10 5 N/m2, gravity

acceleration of 10 m/s2.

Solution
We have

Therefore,
 Exercise
A vessel contains 45 wt.% alcohol-
water solution at 45 0C. Pressure meter
A was set beside the wall of the vessel,
indicating gauge pressure of 0,6 bar.
Pressure meter B was attached to the
top of the vessel, indicating the gauge
pressure of 0,1 bar. Calculate the gap
between the free surface of the alcohol
and the location of pressure meter A.
Alcohol density at 45oC: 763,57kg/m3
Water density at 45oC: 990,25 kg/m3.
1bar = 100.000 N/m2