MEASUREMENT OF FLUID PROPERTIES
FALL 2012
ME 305 FLUID MECHANICS I
EXPERIMENT 1
MEASUREMENT OF FLUID PROPERTIES
PREPARATION: In this course, you will conduct the experiments at the Fluid Mechanics
Laboratory, by yourselves, without any help or instruction from the teaching assistants. You must read the lab sheet thoroughly and understand what you are expected to do (and why) for each experiment, before coming to the lab. At the end of each experiment, you will have to do certain calculations, present and plot (when asked) your results on the provided report sheets attached to the end of the lab sheet. The experiment and the report-writing will all take place in the lab within the time allocated to your group (total: 1 hour). You will not have any time to study the lab sheet during the lab hour, if you have not done so before. Therefore, you must come to the lab fully prepared. Although you perform the experiments as a group, each person will submit a separate report (not a single group report) at the end of the lab hour. There will be no “group study” in writing the reports – everyone will prepare his/her report individually using the data he/she recorded during the experiments.
For Experiment 1, you must bring a calculator to the laboratory. You must also have your watch or a timer (you will record time in one of the experiments).
1.1
MEASUREMENT OF THE DENSITY OF A LIQUID
1.1.1 Objective
The density of a liquid is to be measured using a hydrometer.
1.1.2 Theory
A hydrometer uses the principle of buoyancy to determine the specific gravity of a liquid. Here, the weight of the hydrometer (set by the metal spheres in its bulb) is balanced by the buoyancy force exerted by the liquid in which it is immersed. The buoyancy force is the weight of the liquid displaced by the solid. Figure 1.1 presents the working principle of a hydrometer. In this sketch, a hydrometer is shown submerged in two different liquids. The stem of the hydrometer has a cross-sectional area
ME 305 FLUID MECHANICS I
EXPERIMENT 1
MEASUREMENT OF FLUID PROPERTIES
PREPARATION: In this course, you will conduct the experiments at the Fluid Mechanics
Laboratory, by yourselves, without any help or instruction from the teaching assistants. You must read the lab sheet thoroughly and understand what you are expected to do (and why) for each experiment, before coming to the lab. At the end of each experiment, you will have to do certain calculations, present and plot (when asked) your results on the provided report sheets attached to the end of the lab sheet. The experiment and the report-writing will all take place in the lab within the time allocated to your group (total: 1 hour). You will not have any time to study the lab sheet during the lab hour, if you have not done so before. Therefore, you must come to the lab fully prepared. Although you perform the experiments as a group, each person will submit a separate report (not a single group report) at the end of the lab hour. There will be no “group study” in writing the reports – everyone will prepare his/her report individually using the data he/she recorded during the experiments.
For Experiment 1, you must bring a calculator to the laboratory. You must also have your watch or a timer (you will record time in one of the experiments).
1.1
MEASUREMENT OF THE DENSITY OF A LIQUID
1.1.1 Objective
The density of a liquid is to be measured using a hydrometer.
1.1.2 Theory
A hydrometer uses the principle of buoyancy to determine the specific gravity of a liquid. Here, the weight of the hydrometer (set by the metal spheres in its bulb) is balanced by the buoyancy force exerted by the liquid in which it is immersed. The buoyancy force is the weight of the liquid displaced by the solid. Figure 1.1 presents the working principle of a hydrometer. In this sketch, a hydrometer is shown submerged in two different liquids. The stem of the hydrometer has a cross-sectional area