Category Archives: Fluid Mechanics

The Fish Tank

 

 Model Description This is a demonstration that uses a fish tank to reinforce the definition of a fluid and some of the important physical characteristics associated with fluids.   This demonstration should take 3-5 minutes. Engineering Principle A fluid is defined as a substance that continuously deforms when subjected to a shear stress.  Additionally, the molecular […]

Smoke Tunnel

 

 Model Description This is a series of demonstrations using a smoke tunnel for flow visualization, including laminar/turbulent flow and separation.  This demonstration should take 10-15 minutes. Engineering Principle This demonstration can be used in the context of several lessons, including external flow, Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and lift/drag. External Flow/CFD:  Properties within a flow field […]

Internal Flow and Losses

 

 Model Description This is a simple demonstration of the basic principles of internal fluid flow and can also cover major losses.  The demonstration can cover concepts such as conservation of mass, volumetric flow rates, flow regimes, use of the Moody Chart and major head losses.   This demonstration should take 10 minutes. Engineering Principle Internal flow […]

Hydrostatics

 

 Model Description This is a demonstration that helps students visualize the effects of fluid pressure on various surfaces.  Various cutout shapes are used, including plane and curved surfaces, which are submerged into a fish tank during the derivation of the hydrostatic pressure equation.  This demonstration should take 8-10 minutes. Engineering Principle Hydrostatic forces acting on […]

Fluid Properties

 

 Model Description This is a simple demonstration of the difference between density and viscosity in fluid mechanics.  Two equal size containers, one containing shampoo and the other corn syrup, are used to show the difference between the two concepts.  This demonstration should take 5-8 minutes. Engineering Principle Most students are familiar with density and viscosity […]