Dimensions are names given to physical quantities. Some examples of dimensions are
length (L), time (t), mass (M), force (F), volume (V), velocity (v), and Temperature (T).
A unit is a definite standard or measure of a dimension. Examples are foot, meter, and
Angstrom are all different units of length; pound and kilogram are standard units of mass,
°C and kelvin (K) are units of temperature, etc.
For detailed listing of variables, properties, derived physical parameters see Units and
Conversions at the end of this book.
F Ma or F MLt 2
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Solving in terms of b:
a b ; a b ; d b ; c b
Substituting:
N Re K b b b D b
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b
K
Dv
or appropriately,
b
D
N Re K
From experiment, K 1 , b 1
Method 2. Buckingham Pi Theorem
Example 2. An incompressible fluid is flowing inside a circular tube of inside
diameter D. The significant variables are pressure drop p, velocity v, Diameter
D, tube length L, viscosity and density .
Solution:
p is isolated since we would like to determine the effect of the other variables on p .
Only one of L or D can be chosen. We choose D, v, and
1 D a b c p1
2 D d e f L1
3 D g h i 1
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M: c 1 0
t: b 2 0
Solving, a 0 , b 2 , c 1
p
1 D 0 2 1p 2
Consider the 2 group,
2 Ld Lt 1 ML
e 3 f
L1
exponent of M: f 0
L : d e 3 f 1 0
t : e 0
Solving: d 1 , e 0 , f 0
L
2 D 1 0 0 L 2
D
D
repeating the procedure for 3 , 3
p L D
substituting, f ,
2
D
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3. Assuming that the efficiency of mixing of a rotary drum mixer is dependent on the
diameter of the drum, the speed of rotation, the density and viscosity of the liquid,
determine the speed of an actual mixer to mix SAE oil (density = 917 kg/m3,
viscosity = 0.29 kg/m-s) efficiently. A laboratory prototype one-fourth the size of the
actual mixer required ½ rpm to mix ethyl alcohol (density = 789 kg/m3,
viscosity = 1.2 x 10-3 kg/m-s) efficiently.
a. 13 rpm c. 20 rpm
b. 6.5 rpm d. 4 rpm
4. The Brinkman number is often used in the analysis of organic liquid flows. This
dimensionless number is proportional to viscosity, . Derived the Brinkman number if
it depends on the viscosity, velocity of flow, V, thermal conductivity, k, and fluid
temperature, T.
a. k/VT c. kT/V2
b. V /kT
2
d. TV2/K
8. States that if two models are geometrically, kinematically and dynamically similar, all
velocities and forces are in constant relationship at counterpart positions
a. scale model c. dimensional theory
b. model theory d. transport model
9. This exists in a geometrically similar system of models of different size if all velocities
at counterpart positions bear a constant ratio.
a. geometric similarity c. kinematic similarity
b. dynamic similarity d. dimensional analysis
10. For centrifugal pumps of a given design (that is, those that are geometrically similar),
there exists a functional relationship of the form:
(Q, P, , N, D) = O
where P is the power required to drive the pump (with dimensions ML2/T3), Q is
the volumetric flow rate (L3/T), is the density of the fluid being pumped (M/L3), N
is the rotational speed of the impeller (T-1), and D is the impeller diameter (L).
By choosing , N, and D as the primary quantities we wish to establish two
groups, one for Q and the other for P, that can be used for representing data on all
pumps of the given design.
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A one-third scale model pump (D1 = 0.5 ft) is to be tested when pumping Q1 = 100
gpm of water ( 1= 62.4 lbm/ft3) in order to predict the performance of a proposed
full-size pump (D2 = 1.5 ft) that is intended to operate at N2 = 750 rpm with a flow
rate of Q2 = 1,000 gpm when pumping an oil of density 2 = 50 lbm/ft3.
11. In problem no. 10, the scale model needs P1 = 1.2 Hp to drive it, the power P2 that will
be needed for the full-size pump is
a. 11.87 Hp c. 2.1 Hp
b. 18.17 Hp d. 1.2 Hp
12. The dimensionless drag coefficient on a sphere is dependent in the Reynolds number
for the fluid and is expressed as follows:
FD VD
CD f
1
2
2
A
where is the density and is the viscosity. If the drag coefficient for a sphere,
1
which has a diameter that is the length of the diameter of the sphere of
10
interest, is found to have the same drag coefficient as the sphere of interest, then
what is the ratio of the speed of the smaller sphere to the larger sphere?
a. 10:1 c. 100:1
b. 1:10 d. 1:100
13. Which of the following is the dimensional formula for the quantity of water flowing in
unit time?
a. Mt c. M3t-1
3
b. L t d. L3t-1
14. The capillary rise h of a liquid in a tube is dependent on the surface tension , the
fluid density , gravity g, and the contact angle . A dimensional analysis gives us a
relation for the capillary rise as
h
F 2
,
d gd
If the capillary rise h1 is known for a given experiment, what will h2 be in a similar
case if the diameter d and surface tension are reduced by half of the original value
and the density is doubled and the contact angle remains the same?
a. h2 = ½ h1 c. h2 = h1
b. h2 = 2h1 d. h2 = ¼ h1
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15. A liquid flows in a circular tube at constant temperature with a Reynold’s number of
1,000. In a dynamically similar situation, the same liquid flows through a tube whose
radius is twice as long as the radius of the first tube. If is the kinematic viscosity of
the fluid at that particular temperature, then the product of the velocity of fluid and the
tube radius in the second tube is ___________.
a. 1000 c. 1000
b. 500 d. 2000
16. Which of the following correctly identifies the expression of Reynolds number for a
flat plate ?
v VL
a. N RE c. N RE
PL L
b. N RE d. N RE
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