2

PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS
Fluid properties are used to describe their fundamental nature. They
may be used to distinguish fluids from other substances, or to
distinguish fluids from each other.
➢ 1. Unit Weight or Specific Weight (w) – the weight (W) of a
substance per unit of volume (V). In notation,
𝑾 𝑵 𝑲𝑵 𝒍𝒃
w= ( , , )
𝑽 𝒎𝟑 𝒎𝟑 𝒇𝒕𝟑
Example 1
Twenty(20) liters of a liquid is found to weigh 60 lb. What is its
𝒍𝒃
specific weight in 𝟑 ?
𝒊𝒏
Solution:
𝑾 𝟔𝟎 𝒍𝒃 𝒍𝒃
w= = = 0.0492
𝑽 𝟐𝟎𝑳 𝒙 𝒊𝒏𝟑 𝒊𝒏𝟑
𝟎.𝟎𝟏𝟔𝟒𝑳
Continuation:

Example 2
How much space (in 𝑚3 ) will be occupied by 200 lb of a gas
𝑁
whose specific weight is 90 3 ?
𝑚
Solution:
𝑁
𝑊 200𝑙𝑏 𝑥 4.448
V= = 𝑁
𝑙𝑏
= 9.884 𝑚3
𝑤 90
𝑚3

 2. Density or Mass Density (ρ) – the mass(M) of a body per

unit volume(V). In notation,
𝑀 𝐾𝑔 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔𝑠 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔𝑠 𝐾𝑔
ρ= ( 3, 3 , , )
𝑉 𝑚 𝑓𝑡 𝑔𝑎𝑙 𝐿
𝑤
or ρ= , where g= acceleration due to gravity
𝑔
 Continuation:
 Example 3
A quantity of a liquid has a mass of 20 slugs and a volume of 300L.
𝐾𝑔
What is its density in 3 ?
𝑚
Solution:
𝐾𝑔
𝑀 20 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔𝑠 𝑥 14.59 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔 𝐾𝑔
ρ= = 𝑚3
= 972.667
𝑉 300𝐿 𝑥 1000𝐿 𝑚3

 Example 4
A 10,000 gal. tank is to be filled with kerosene whose density is
𝐾𝑔
780 3 . How many Kg is the mass of the truck increased by filling it.
𝑚
solution:
𝐾𝑔 𝑚3
M= ρV= 780 x 10,000 gal x 0.003785 = 29,523 Kg
𝑚3 𝑔𝑎𝑙
CONTINUATION:

 3. Specific Volume (v) – is simply the inverse of the unit weight

of a material or the volume per unit mass. In notation,
1 𝑉 𝑚3 𝑓𝑡 3
v= = ( , )
𝑤 𝑊 𝑁 𝑙𝑏
Example 5
A room measuring 10ft. x 25ft. X 8ft. Is filled with air with a
𝑓𝑡 3
specific volume of 13.60 . What is the weight of the air in
𝑙𝑏
the room?
Solution:
𝑉 10𝑓𝑡. 𝑥 25𝑓𝑡. 𝑥 8𝑓𝑡
W= = 𝑓𝑡3
= 147.059 lb
𝑣 13.6 𝑙𝑏
CONTINUATION:

Example 6
A cylinder with a volume of 0.11 𝑚3 is filled with 1.85 Kg of
𝑓𝑡 3
gas. What is the specific volume of the gas in ?
𝑙𝑏
Solution:
(3.28 𝑓𝑡)3
𝑉 0.11 𝑚3 𝑥 𝑓𝑡 3
𝑚3
v= = 9.81 𝑁 1 𝑙𝑏 = 0.9513
𝑊 1.85 𝐾𝑔 𝑥 𝑥 𝑙𝑏
𝐾𝑔 4.448 𝑁

 4. Specific Gravity (𝐺𝑠 ) – is defined as the ratio of the

density/unit weight of a material to the density/unit
weight of water at 4˚C. In notation,
ρ𝑥 𝑤𝑥
𝐺𝑠 = = @ 4˚C
ρ𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
CONTINUATION:

Example 7
A reservoir of glycerin has a mass of 1200 Kg and a volume of
0.952 𝑚3 . Find the glycerin weights(W), density(ρ), specific
weight(w), and specific gravity(𝐺𝑠 ).
Solution:
9.81 𝑁
a. W= 1200 Kg x = 11,772 N or 11.772 KN
𝐾𝑔
𝑀 1200 𝐾𝑔 𝐾𝑔
b. ρ= = = 1,260.504 3
𝑉 0.952 𝑚3 𝑚
𝑊 11.772 𝐾𝑁 𝐾𝑁
c. w= = = 12.366
𝑉 0.952 𝑚3 𝑚3
𝐾𝑁
𝑤𝑔𝑙𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛 12.366
𝑚3
d. 𝐺𝑠 = = 𝐾𝑁 = 1.261
𝑤𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 9.81 3
𝑚
CONTINUATION:

 5. Surface Tension (S.T or σ) – is a property of a liquid that is

related to an interface of the liquid with a gas or another
liquid. It is a direct result of the molecular attraction
between like molecules, known as “cohesion”, and the
molecular attraction between unlike molecules, known as
“adhesion”.

𝐹𝑝 = net force generating the bubble = pressure(p) x cross-

π𝑑 2
sectional area generating the bubble = p x
4
CONTINUATION:
𝐹𝑡 = total surface tension necessary to maintain the bubble
around the perimeter of the tube = σ x πd
π𝑑 2 4σ
∑ 𝐹𝐻 = 0 ; 𝐹𝑝 = 𝐹𝑡 ; p x = σ x πd ; p=
4 𝑑

 6. Capillarity (c) – the rise or fall of a liquid in a fine bore

tube, is also a function of adhesive and cohesive forces.
Wetting liquid (Fig. 6a)- liquid will climb the wall of the
tube.
Non-wetting liquid (Fig. 6b)- such as mercury (Hg), depress
the edges of the column of fluid and the column itself.
CONTINUATION:
CONTINUATION:

𝐹𝑤 = weight of the column of fluid supported by the

π𝑑 2
capillary effect= wV = (w)(h x )
4
𝐹𝑥 = total vertical component around the perimeter of
the boundary tube= (πd)(σ x Cosθ)
π𝑑 2
∑ 𝐹𝐻 = 0 ; 𝐹𝑤 = 𝐹𝑥 ; (w)(h x )= (πd)(σ x Cosθ)
4
4σ𝐶𝑜𝑠θ
h=
𝑤𝑑
Note: h= + for wetting fluids and – for non-wetting fluids.
CONTINUATION:

Example 8
Calculate the rise of water above the surface in a 3mm tube
if the wetting angle is assumed to be zero and the specific
𝐾𝑁
weight of water at room temperature is 9.79 3 . Use σ= 7.26
𝑚
𝑁
x 10−2 .
𝑚
Solution:
𝑁
4σ𝐶𝑜𝑠θ 4 𝑥 7.26 𝑥 10−2 𝑚𝑥 𝐶𝑜𝑠(0)
h= = 𝑁 = 9.888 x 10−3 m or 9.888 mm
𝑤𝑑 9.79 𝑥 1000 𝑚 𝑥 0.003 𝑚
CONTINUATION:

Example 9
Two parallel, wide, clean, glass plates separated by a distance
“s” of 1mm are placed in water as shown. How far does the
water rise due to capillary action away from the ends of the
𝑁
plate. Use σ= 0.0730 .
𝑚
CONTINUATION:

Solution:
Consider the free-body diagram of a unit width of the raised
water away from the ends (Fig. c).
1 1 1 1
∑𝐹𝑣 = 0 , 2σ( ) – W= 0 , 2(0.073)( ) – 9.81( )( )h= 0
1000 1000 1000 1000
h= 14.88 mm

 7. Viscosity – is a measure of the internal resistance of a fluid to

shear and indicates its relative resistance to flow.
 a. Dynamic Viscosity/Absolute Viscosity (μ{mu}) – can be defined as
the force required to move a flat surface of unit area at unit velocity
when separated by an oil film of unit thickness.
CONTINUATION:
CONTINUATION:
Δγ
μ= τ
Δ𝑣
𝑁 𝑙𝑏 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑒
where: τ= shear stress ( 2 , 2 , )
𝑚 𝑓𝑡 𝑐𝑚2
𝑚
Δv= unit velocity ( )
𝑠𝑒𝑐
Δγ= unit distance (m)
𝑁.𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑙𝑏.𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑒.𝑠𝑒𝑐
μ= dynamic viscosity ( 2 , , or poise)
𝑚 𝑓𝑡 2 𝑐𝑚2
 b. Kinematic Viscosity (ν{nu})- is the ratio of dynamic viscosity to
mass density.
μ 𝑓𝑡 2 𝑚2 𝑐𝑚2
ν= ( , , or stoke)
ρ 𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑠𝑒𝑐
CONTINUATION:

Example 10
A cylinder of weight 20 lb slides in a lubricated pipe as shown.
The clearance between the cylinder and pipe is 0.001 in. If the
𝑓𝑡
cylinder is observed to decelerate at a rate of 2 2 when the
𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑓𝑡
speed is 20 , what is the viscosity of the oil.
𝑠𝑒𝑐
CONTINUATION:

Solution:
Δγ Δν Δν
μ= τ , τ= μ = μ( 0.001 ) = 12,000μ(Δν)
Δ𝑣 Δγ
12
6 5
𝐹𝑓 = τA = 12,000μ(Δν)(π x 12 x )= 7854 μ(Δν)
12
𝑊
∑F= Ma where a= acceleration of the body and M=
𝑔
𝑊 20𝑙𝑏 𝑓𝑡
20 - 7854 μ(Δν)= a ; 20 - 7854 μ(20)= ( 𝑓𝑡 )(-2 2 )
𝑔 32.2 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑠𝑒𝑐2
𝑙𝑏.𝑠𝑒𝑐
μ= 1.35 x 10 −4
𝑓𝑡 2
CONTINUATION:

Example 11
In the figure shown, if the fluid is glycerin and the width
between plates is 6mm, what shear stress is required to move
𝑚 𝑁.𝑠𝑒𝑐
the upper plate at 2.5 ? μ of glycerin= 1.49 2
𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑚
Solution:
𝑚
Δν 𝑁.𝑠𝑒𝑐 2.5𝑠𝑒𝑐 𝑁
τ= μ = (1.49 2 )( 6 )= 620.833 or 620.833 Pa
Δγ 𝑚 𝑚 𝑚2
1000