FLUID MECHANIC LECTURER 1:

BY: Mr.FOFANA

GTTI

What is a Fluid?
It is well known that matter is divided into solids and fluids. Fluids can be further divided into
Liquids and Gases. It is taught in schools, rightly so, that solids have a definite shape and a
definite size, while the liquids have a definite size, but no definite shape. They assume the shape
of the container they are poured into. Gases on the other hand have neither a shape nor a size.
They can fill any container fully and assume its shape. But we are engineers. We need a more
precise definition. This comes when we consider the response of a solid or a fluid to a shear
force. A solid resists a shear force while a fluid deforms continuously under the action of a shear
force.

Types of Fluids:
Fluids can be classified into four basic types. They are:
1. Ideal Fluid
2. Real Fluid
3. Newtonian Fluid
4. Non-Newtonian Fluid
1. Ideal Fluid:

An Ideal Fluid is a fluid that has no viscosity. It is incompressible in nature. Practically, no ideal
fluid exists.
2. Real Fluid:

Real fluids are compressible in nature. They have some viscosity.

Examples: Kerosene, Petrol, Castor oil
3. Newtonian Fluid:

Fluids that obey Newtons law of viscosity are known as Newtonian Fluids. For a Newtonian
fluid, viscosity is entirely dependent upon the temperature and pressure of the fluid.
Examples: water, air, emulsions
4. Non-Newtonian Fluid:

Fluids that do not obey Newtons law of viscosity are non-Newtonian fluids.

FLUID MECHANIC LECTURER 1:

BY: Mr.FOFANA

GTTI

PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS:
Density:

Density is the mass per unit volume of a fluid. In other words, it is the ratio between mass (m)
and volume (V) of a fluid.
Density is denoted by the symbol . Its unit is kg/m3.

In general, density of a fluid decreases with increase in temperature. It increases with increase in
pressure.
The ideal gas equation is given by:

The above equation is used to find the density of any fluid, if the pressure (P) and temperature
(T) are known.
Note: The density of standard liquid (water) is 1000 kg/m3.

Viscosity
Viscosity is the fluid property that determines the amount of resistance of the fluid to shear
stress. It is the property of the fluid due to which the fluid offers resistance to flow of one layer
of the fluid over another adjacent layer.
In a liquid, viscosity decreases with increase in temperature. In a gas, viscosity increases with
increase in temperature.

FLUID MECHANIC LECTURER 1:

BY: Mr.FOFANA

GTTI

Temperature:
It is the property that determines the degree of hotness or coldness or the level of heat intensity
of a fluid. Temperature is measured by using temperature scales. There are 3 commonly used
temperature scales. They are
1. Celsius (or centigrade) scale
2. Fahrenheit scale
3. Kelvin scale (or absolute temperature scale)

Kelvin scale is widely used in engineering. This is because; this scale is independent of
properties of a substance.

Pressure:
Pressure of a fluid is the force per unit area of the fluid. In other words, it is the ratio of force on
a fluid to the area of the fluid held perpendicular to the direction of the force.
Pressure is denoted by the letter P. Its unit is N/m2

Specific Volume:
Specific volume is the volume of a fluid (V) occupied per unit mass (m). It is the reciprocal of
density.
Specific volume is denoted by the symbol v. Its unit is m3/kg.

Surface Tension and Capillary Action

Attractive forces between molecules cause effects such as surface tension and capillary
action.
Attractive forces between molecules of the same type are called cohesive forces. Liquids can, for
example, be kept in open containers because cohesive forces hold the molecules together.
Attractive forces between molecules of different types are called adhesive forces. Such forces
cause liquid drops to cling to window panes, for example. In this section we examine effects of
cohesive and adhesive forces in liquids.

FLUID MECHANIC LECTURER 1:

BY: Mr.FOFANA

GTTI

Surface Tension
Surface tension is a contractive tendency of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an
external force. It is shown, for example, in the floating of some objects on the surface of water,
even though they are denser than water, and in the ability of some insects (e.g., water striders) to
run on water's surface. This property is caused by cohesion of similar molecules and is
responsible for many of the behaviors of liquids.
The cohesive forces among liquid molecules are responsible for the phenomenon of surface
tension, as shown in. In the bulk of the liquid, each molecule is pulled equally in every direction
by neighboring liquid molecules, resulting in a net force of zero. The molecules at the surface do
not have other molecules on all sides of them and therefore are pulled inwards. This creates some
internal pressure and forces liquid surfaces to contract to the minimal area.
Surface tension has the unit of force per unit length,or of energy per unit area. The two units are
equivalent. However, when we refer to energy per unit of area, we use the term surface energy,
which is more general in that it applies to solids as well as liquids.

Capillary Action
Capillary action, or capillarity, is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the
assistance of, and in opposition to, external forces like gravity. The effect can be seen in the
drawing-up of liquids between the hairs of a paint-brush, in a thin tube, in porous materials such
as paper, in some non-porous materials such as liquefied carbon fiber, and in a cell. It occurs
because of intermolecular attractive forces between the liquid and solid surrounding surfaces. If
the diameter of the tube is sufficiently small, then the combination of surface tension (which is
caused by cohesion within the liquid) and adhesive forces between the liquid and the container
act to lift the liquid.
With some pairs of materials, such as mercury and glass, the intermolecular forces within the
liquid exceed those between the solid and the liquid, so a convex meniscus forms, and capillary
action works in reverse.