Tafila Technical

University
Faculty Engineering

Experiment #1
Properties of Fluid

Name:
Salam f.albaradie

Lecturer name:
Dr. kaled alrababa
&
eng. Zaki alqasi.

Date of submission: 21/10/2014.

Table of Contents

Object .... p. 1

Theory ....pp. 1-3

Procedure ....p. 4

Results ....pp. 4-5

References ....p. 5

Object
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the dynamic viscosity of a given fluid using the falling
sphere viscometer method.

Theory
Fluid:
A fluid is defined as a substance that continually deforms (flows) under an applied shear stress.
No matter how small that shear force may be. All liquids and all gases are fluids. Fluids are a
subset of the phases of matter and include liquids, gases, plasmas and, to some extent, plastic
solids.

Fluid Mechanics:
Fluid mechanics is the branch of science that deals with the behavior of the fluids (liquids or
gases) either in motion or at rest and the subsequent effects of the fluid upon the boundaries,
which may be either solid surfaces or interfaces with other fluids.

The study of fluid at rest is called Fluid statics.

The study of fluids in motion, where pressure forces are not considered, is called fluid
kinematics and if the pressure force are, is called fluid dynamics.

Fluid Properties:
Density or Mass density:
Density or Mass density is defined as the ratio mass of a fluid to its volume. It is denoted by the
symbol (rho). It is expressed in kg/m3. The density of liquids may be considered as constant
while that of gases changes with the variation of pressure and temperature.
Mathematically, density is written as

Mass of fluid
m

Volume of fluid V

kg
m3

The value of density of water is 1 gm/cm3 or 1000 kg/m3.

Specific Weight or Weight density

Specific weight or weight density of a fluid is the ratio between the weight of a fluid to its
volume. It is usually denoted by w. it is expressed in N/ m3 or kN/ m3.

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Mathematically, specific weight is written as

w

Weight of fluid (Mass of fuid) (Acceleration due to gravity)

mg
=
= g

Volume of fluid
Volume of fluid
V

kN
m3

The value of Specific weight for water is 9.81 kN/ m3.

Specific Volume
Specific volume of a fluid is defined as the volume of a fluid occupied by unit mass or volume
per unit mass of a fluid is called specific volume. It is denoted by v. it is expressed in m3/kg.

Mathematically, specific volume is written as

Specific Voulume

Voulme of a fluid 1

Mass of fluid

m3
kg

Thus specific volume is the reciprocal of mass density

Specific Gravity or Relative Density

Specific gravity is the ratio of weight density (or density)of a fluid to the weight density (or
density) of a standard fluid. For liquid the standard fluid is taken as water and for gases the
standard fluid is taken as air. It is dimensionless quantity and it is denoted by the symbol S.
Mathematically For Liquids S

For Gases S

Density of Liquid

Density of Water H 2O

Density of Gas

Density of air Air

Note: if the specific gravity of a substance is less than one, then it indicates that the substance
floats on water. Hence it is very interesting property since it will allow us to immediately
determine that given fluid floats on water or not.
Viscosity
The viscosity is an essential property of the fluid. It is the measure of resistance to flow. It is a
characteristic which decides the ease with which a fluid will flow. It is often identified with the
stickiness or sometimes by the thick appearance of liquid. Thin liquids, such as water, benzene,
alcohol etc. flow easily and are less viscous than thick liquids like liquids like honey, syrup or
lubricating oils. It is denoted by the symbol .
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Let us consider two layers of a fluid, at a distance dy apart, move one over the other at different
velocities, say u and u+du as shown the viscosity together with relative velocity causes a shear
stress() acting between the fluid layer. The top layer causes a shear stress on the adjacent lower
layer while lower layer causes a shear stress on the adjacent top layer. This shear stress is
proportional to the rate of change of velocity with respect to y.
Mathematically, shear stress

Or

du
dy

du
dy

Where is the constant of proportionality and is known as the co-efficient of dynamic viscosity
du
or only viscosity,
represents the rate of shear strain or shear deformation or velocity
dy
gradient.
From the above equation we have

du

dy

Thus viscosity is also defined as the shear stress required to produce unit rate of shear strain.
Unit of viscosity:
The unit of viscosity in SI is

Where 1 Poise =

N -s
m2

1 kg - sec
1 N -s

=
2
2
9.81 m
10 m

Kinematic viscosity:
It is defined as the ratio between the dynamic viscosity and density of fluid. It is denoted by the
symbol (nu).
Mathematically

Visosity

Density

Unit of Kinematic viscosity:

cm2
The unit of Kinematic viscosity in CGS is called stoke which is equal to
sec
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Procedure
Equipment:

Tube, beaker and hydrometer

The balance of force with one arm
Oil, water and Glasyoren
Large, transparent cylinder with affixed scale
Stainless Steel ball bearings
Stopwatch application

Experiment:
1. Take note of the ambient air temperature. This will be used as the temperature of the
2.
3.
4.
5.

fluid.
Measure the mass of empty beakers.
Fill the beakers, with 25ml of the fluid.
Measure the mass of beakers with the 25ml of the fluid and divide the mass of beakers
and fluid. from empty beakers to know the mass of fluid.
Use the upper equation to find the properties.

Results
Table 1. The initial condition
Mass of beakers
Volume of fluid
Density of water
Length of distance
Radius of ball
Density of solid

51.9 g
25 ml
1000 kg/m3
30 cm
2.569 mm
7800 kg/m3

A) Using the density of the liquid.

Table 2. The property of liquid.
property
3
Density (kg/m )
Specific volume (m3/kg)
Spicfic gravity

water
1084
9.22*10-4
1.084

oil
888
1.12*10-3
0.888

glasyoren
1128
8.865*10-4
1.128

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B) Using the density of solid.

Table 2.1 property of solid.
Property
Density (kg/m3)
Specific volume (m3/kg)
Spicfic gravity

Plastic
1121.77
8.9144*10-3
1.12177

Brass
8000
1.25*10-4
8

C) Using the bottle.

Table 2.2 property of water.
property

water
1158
8.6355*10-3
1.158

Density (kg/m )
Specific volume (m3/kg)
Spicfic gravity

D) Viscosity
Table 3. Viscosity

Fluid

Time (sec)

Velocity (m/s)

Viscosity (pa.sec)

Kinematic
viscosity

water
oil
glasyoren

0.695
0.800
1.459

0.4316
0.375
0.205

0.2266
0.266
0.4603

2.266*10-4
3.093*10-4
3.7120*10-4

References
1. Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, 3rd Edition William S. Janna (1993)
2. Fluid mechanics: fundamentals and applications Yunus A. engel, John M. Cimbala. 1st ed.
3. A Manual for the Mechanics of Fluids Laboratory William S. Janna (2008)

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