FLUIDS AT REST AND IN

MOTION

 The surface of a liquid behaves as if it were

covered by an elastic skin. The surface thus
appears to be under some force or tension
The tension force acting parallel to the
surface of the liquid is known as surface
tension
This arises due to the strong intermolecular
forces holding the liquid molecules at the
surface together

 The co-efficient of surface tension T is defined as the

force in Newton acting on a metre length drawn on the
surface. mathematically,
T = F/L
The surface tension T, is defined as the ratio of the
tangential force F, in the surface to the length d along
which the force acts. Mathematically,
T = F/d
Surface tension is a force per unit length so its unit is
N/m

APPLICATIONS OF THE EFFECTS OF SURFACE TENSION

Soaps and detergents lower the surface tension of water. This is

desirable for cleaning purposes because the high surface tension of
pure water prevents it from easily entering between the fibre of
materials. With a lowered surface tension, the water can wash away
the dirt particles. Also, high temperatures decrease the surface
tension of water thus making it more effective to use hot water for
cleaning purposes
The material used to make umbrellas, raincoats and other waterproof objects tend to trap a thin film of water between its fibres.
Due to the surface tension, the trapped water molecules form an
elastic skin and prevent further seepage of water through the fibres.
Often, the material is made more water proof by coating it with oilbased substances.

ADHESION AND COHESION

The force of attraction between
molecules of the same substance is
called cohesion
The force of attraction between
molecules of different substances is
called adhesion
Adhesion of water to glass is
stronger than the cohesion of water.
Hence when water is spilled on a
clean glass surface, it wets it. In
contrast, the cohesion of mercury is
greater than its adhesion to glass.
Thus, when mercury is spilled on
glass, it forms small spherical
droplets or large flattened drops and
does not wet glass. For the same
reason, when these liquids are
placed in glass vessels, the water is
concave to air while mercury is
concave to the liquid

CAPILLARITY
Capillarity is responsible for
the rise of liquids in a
narrrow glass tube when
placed in a container.
Capillarity is defined as the
tendency of liquids to rise or
fall in narrow capillary tubes
Some common examples
include:
I. Water rising up the stem of
a plant
II. Ink held on the nib of a pen
III. Blood spreading through
the fine capillary channels
of the body
IV. Liquid candle wax rising up
the wick of a candle

CO-EFFICIENT OF SURFACE TENSION AND ITS DETERMINATION

The co-efficient of surface tension

is the force on a metre length of
line drawn on the surface
If water rises in a capillary tube of
radius r to a height h, the weight of
the water in equilibrium as a result
of surface tension is mg
This will balance the surface
tension force 2rT
2rT = mg
But = mass/volume = density
m = v
v = volume of cylinder = r2h
mg = gv = r2hg
2rT = r2hg
T = rhg/2
The co-efficient of surface tension is
thus calculated if density, height
and radius are known

CONTACT ANGLES

VISCOSITY
The name given to the
internal friction that exists
between layers of a liquid or
gas in motion
The opposing force is known
as drag
In liquids, the viscosity is
due to the cohesive forces
between liquid molecules
In gases, it is due to the
collision between molecules
Viscosity increases with
increasing temperature for
gases and decreases with
increasing temperature for
liquids

TERMINAL VELOCITY

When a stone falls through

a column of fluid, it is
subjected to three forces;
weight, drag and upthrust
The weight and upthrust
do not change during the
descent but the drag force
increases with increasing
velocity, resulting in a
smaller resultant force
When the drag force and
the upthrust balance the
weight of the stone, there
is no resultant force,
hence no acceleration and
the stone travels at
constant terminal velocity

Mathematically,
FR = W-D-U
Where FR = resultant force = ma
W is the weight of the stone
D is the drag force due to
viscosity
U is the upthrust
The reason the terminal speed
is reached is because the
viscous force V is proportional
to the terminal velocity
V = kv
When
terminal
velocity
is
reached, a = 0
Thus W-D-U = 0
D= W-U
D = mg-U

Exercise
A spherical stone of mass 100g is
released from the top of a tall building.
Several seconds after the stone is
dropped, it achieves a terminal speed
of 25m/s. another stone of equal
dimensions but twice the mass is
dropped from the tall building.
Calculate the terminal velocity reached
by the stone. Assume the drag force
due to viscosity of air is proportional to
the velocity

SOLUTION
Ist stone
Weight of stone = mg = 0.1*9.8 = 0.98N
At terminal velocity, the forces acting on the stone
are balance
W=D
D = kv
K= D/v = 0.98/25 = 0.0392 Ns/m
2nd stone
Weight of stone = mg = (2*0.1)(9.8) = 1.962N
At terminal velocity W = D = 1.96N
D = kv
v = D/k = 1.96/0.0392 = 50m/s

APPLICATIONS OF VISCOSITY
Liquids with high viscosity are used
as lubricants in the industry
A parachute uses the drag force
exerted by the air on a free falling
person to slow down his descent and
cushion his fall