AMEE 202 Instructor: Marios M.

Fyrillas
Introduction to Fluid Mechanics Email: m.fyrillas@fit.ac.cy

Homework Assignment on
Fluid Statics
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1. Determine the relationship between pressure at point A and pressure at

point B

patm

pA pA

p1 p2

p1  p A   1h1 

p1  p2    patm   2 h2  p A   1h1
  p1  patm   2 h2 
p2  patm   2 h2  

2. The figure shows an inclined manometer, in which the distance  2

indicates the movement of the gauge fluid level. Determine an expression
for the pressure difference between p A and pB .

h2
p2  pB   3 gh3  pB   3h3
p1  p2   2 gh2  p2   2h2  pB   3h3   2h2 

p1  p A  1 gh1  p A   1h1 

pB   3h3   2h2  p A   1h1

 p A  pB   3h3   2h2   1h1   3h3   2 2 sin    1h1
3. For the compound differential manometer in the figure calculate the
pressure at the point A .

p8

p1
p4 p5

p3
p6 p7
p2

p1  p A 
p2  p1  oil g (0.125  0.25)  p A  900  9.81  0.375  p A  3311

  p4  p A  29896
p2  p3  
  p4  p2  13540  9.81  0.25  p2  33207 
p4  p3   m g  0.25 



p4  p A  29896 

  p6  p A  29896  2943  p A  26953
p5  p4 
 
  p  p  2943
p6  p5   w g  (0.25  0.05)  6 4


p7  p6 
  p8  p6  63093
p8  patm  p7   w g  0.475  p7  63093

p8  p6  63093 
  p8  p A  26953  63093  p A  90046
p6  p A  26953

 p A  patm  90046  101500  90046  191546 Pa

4. The basic elements of a hydraulic press are shown in the figure. The
plunger has an area of 6.4516 cm 2 , and a force, F1 , can be applied to the
plunger through a lever mechanism having a mechanical advantage of 8 to
1. If the large piston has an area of 967.74 cm 2 , what load, F2 , can be raised
by a force of 133.5 N applied to the lever? Neglect the hydrostatic pressure
variation.

Since we are neglecting hydrostatic pressure variation,

the pressure is the same between the planger and the piston.
F1 F2 A 
p1  p2    F2  F1 2  A 967.74
A1 A2 A1   F2  8  Flever 2  8  133.5  160.2kN
 A1 6.4516
 F1  8  Flever 
5. Determine the force F1 acting on the plunger so that the piston would not
move (Figure 3). The hydraulic fluid has density   850 kg/m3 .

30 cm

10 cm

D  15 cm

Figure 3: Piston-plunger arrangement

The force acting on the plunger is equal to the pressure

at the middle of the plunger multiplied by the area of the plunger:
 0.15 
pmiddle of plunger   g  0.3  0.1    396 N/m
2

  2 
h

D 2
0.152 
 F1  p  A  396  396   70 N
4 4
6. Determine the pressure gage reading and the height h of the mercury
manometer if the vapor pressure is p  120 kPa (Abs) .

  800 kg/m3

  13600 kg/m3

Figure 3: Tank with vapour/liquid (Question3)

Gage pressure pg = pv  l gh  patm  120 kPa+800*9.81*1-101000=127848-101000

=26848 Pa

pg 26848
p g +101000= m gh  patm  h    0.2 m
m g 13600*9.81
7. A container has three different liquids as shown in the figure. Based on the
gauge pressures shown on the manometers determine the density of the
fluids.

1  1 m
p1  0.1 atm

2  1 m
p2  0.24 atm
3  1 m
p3  0.38 atm

Gage pressure at point 1 = p1  1 gh1  1 g 1  0.1 atm  10132.5 Pa

10132.5 kg
 1   1033 3
9.81  1 m

Gage pressure at point 2 = p2  1 g 1   2 g  2  10132.5+ 2 g  2  0.24 atm  24318 Pa

24318-10132.5 kg
 2   1446 3
9.81  1 m

Gage pressure at point 3 = p3   3 g  3  0.24 atm  0.38 atm

0.14 atm 14185.5 kg
 3   =1446 3
9.81  1 9.81 m
8. An open tank has a vertical partition and on one side contains gasoline
with a density   700 kg/m3 at a depth of 4 m, as shown in the figure. A
rectangular gate that is 4 m high and 2 m wide and hinged at one end is
located in the partition. Water is slowly added to the empty side of the
tank. At what depth, h, will the gate start to open?

Fg
4
h
Fw
3
3

h 4
Fw  p( middle)  Area   w g ( h  2) Fg  p( middle)  Area   g g (4  2)
2 2

Take moments about the hinge. When the moments are equal the door will open, i.e.
h 4
Fw   Fg 
3 3
h 4
1000  9.81  h 2   700  9.81  4  4 
3 3
700  43  3
 h3   44.8  h  3.55 m
1000  3
9. Calculate the width of concrete dam that is necessary to prevent the dam
from sliding. The specific weight of the concrete is 2400 kg/m3 , and the
coefficient of friction between the base of the dam and the foundation is
0.42 . Use 1.5 as the factor of safety (F.S.) against sliding. Will it also be safe
against overturning? The span of the damn is 1 m .
w

7m

Water 5m

Water dam

Sliding
Weight of concrete dam= V  g=(1*7*w)*2400*9.81
5
Sliding force=Hydrostatic force FH = water g (5*1)  122625 N
2
Sliding resistance= 0.42*165000*w
Sliding resistance 69300w
F.S.=  1.5   w  2.65
Sliding force 122625

Oveturning
total righting moment=165000*w*w/2
overturning moment=122625*5/3
122625*5*2
To be save against oveturning 165000*w*w/2 > 122625*5/3  w 
3*165000
10. A tank containing fuel of density 850 kg/m3 has an automatic device to
prevent overflow; this consists of a rectangular door hinged at the upper
edge closed by a spring. The door is 0.3 m deep and 0.2 m wide and the
spring exerts a force of 1 kN . Calculate the level of the fuel above the
hinge when the door is about to open.

h
ycp

F f   g ( h  0.15)  0.06 CP
0.3 m 0.3 m
Fs
0.03

0.2 m

Side view
yc  h  0.15
I xc ba 3 a2 0.0075
y R  yc    
yc A 12 yc ba 12( h  0.15) h  0.15

The surface of the fuel is at height h above the hinge as shown

on the diagram.
The force acting on the door Fg  pressure at the centroid (yc )  area of the door
Fg  pressure at the center of the door  (0.3  0.2)
Fg   g yc  (0.3  0.2)  850  9.81  (h  0.15)  0.06
Fg  500 ( h  0.15) N

Take moments of the two forces (hydrostatic and spring) about the hinge:
1000  (0.3  0.03)  500 ( h  0.15) (y R  h )
 0.0075 
 1000  0.27  500( h  0.15)   h  0.15  h 
 h  0.15 
 270  3.75  75h  11.25  h  3.4 m
11. A sphere of density  and radius r is placed in a large reservoir filled with
a liquid. Find an expression for the depth to which a sphere will sink. If the
sphere is displaced from its equilibrium position, find a differential
equation that governs its oscillation assuming inviscid flow. Note: the

volume of a spherical segment is (3rh 2  h 3 ) .
3

Archimede's Principle

Buoyancy Force  weight of displaced water 


3
3rh2  h3  w g
4 3
This must be equal to the weight of the sphere  W  mg  r V  g  r g
3

So,
4 3
3

 
 r  g  3rh 2  h 3  w g  3rh 2  h 3  4r 3
3

w
Given r,  w and  you can solve it to find h.

Differential Equation
F  ma
4 
3
 4
 d2h
  r 3  g  3rh 2  h 3  w g   r 3  2
3 3 dt

3rh2  h3  w  ddt2h

2
g
g 3
4r
12. A solid cylinder of length 0.3 m and diameter 10 cm is floating in water (see
figure). Determine:
a. The upward hydrostatic force ( FB ) acting on the bottom of the cylinder.
b. The density of the cylinder.

14 cm

 D2
a. Fb  Vdisplaced  fluid g  0.14  1000  9.81  10.78 N
liquid 4
b. Because the cylinder is not moving  F  0  Fb  W  0
where W is the weight of the cylinder.
10.78 10.78 kg
 10.78  Vcylinder  cylinder g  cylinder =   466.4 3
Vcylinder g  D 2
m
0.3  9.81
4

13. A horizontal gate, 1.5 meters wide, is held in place by a cable as shown in
the Figure. Water acts against the gate which is hinged at point A. Friction
in the hinge is negligible. Determine the tension in the cable.

2m
1m

A
Figure: Tank with a gate held by a cable