Fluid Dynamics

Bernoulli's equation links pressure, speed, and height in a moving fluid along a streamline. It is used for incompressible, inviscid fluids under steady flow. The idea comes from applying Newton's second law to a small fluid element. That element feels forces from pressure differences, gravity, and changes in velocity.

The resulting equation shows how fluid energy is shared. In the equation, P is pressure, ρ is fluid density, v is velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is...

Bernoulli's equation for flow normal to a streamline describes how pressure changes across curved streamlines. When a fluid follows a curved path, the outer side of the curve experiences centrifugal force, which pushes the fluid outward. The pressure is therefore higher on the inner side, near the center of curvature, and lower farther out.

The size of this pressure difference depends on the fluid's velocity and the radius of curvature. In flows with nearly straight streamlines, the pressure...

A Venturi meter measures fluid flow rate in a pipeline by using pressure changes and Bernoulli's equation. In a sewage system, it can be used to determine wastewater flow rate by reading the pressure difference across the meter. The narrowed throat makes the fluid speed up, and that change in speed is linked to pressure drop.

The first step is to find the cross-sectional areas of the pipe and the Venturi throat. These areas are needed to interpret the pressure difference shown on the pressure...

Static pressure, dynamic pressure, stagnation pressure, and total pressure are key ideas in fluid dynamics. They are often explained with Bernoulli's equation. In that equation, p is static pressure, 1/2ρV^2 is dynamic pressure, γz is hydrostatic pressure or potential energy pressure, and pT is total pressure. For incompressible flow, the total pressure stays constant along a streamline.

Static pressure is the pressure a fluid exerts when it is at rest, or when flowing fluid is brought to rest...

Free jets show how liquid moves after leaving a reservoir through an opening and flowing into the air without resistance. The jet speed is found with Bernoulli’s principle, and it depends on the height of liquid above the opening. This relationship assumes atmospheric pressure at both the reservoir surface and the jet exit.

The liquid column’s height controls the speed at the nozzle because the fluid’s potential energy changes into kinetic energy during flow. As the liquid leaves the...

Fluid flow and area changes are linked by the continuity equation. For a steady flow of an incompressible fluid in a confined system, the mass flow rate stays constant. This idea is useful in nozzles, syringes, and pipes where the cross-sectional area changes.

The mass flow rate is written as an equation that connects density, area, and velocity. For incompressible flow, the density stays the same, so the equation becomes simpler. When the area gets smaller, the fluid speed must increase. When...

Fluid head profiles in pipes and channels show how pressure, speed, and height change in a flowing fluid. These profiles come from Bernoulli's equation for steady, incompressible, inviscid flow. In that equation, total head includes pressure head, velocity head, and elevation head.

The energy line (EL) shows the total head available in the flow. It sits above the datum and includes all three energy parts. Under ideal conditions, the EL stays horizontal because the total energy does not change...

Water slide speed is controlled by Bernoulli's principle and the height of the slide. Engineers use these ideas to keep the ride exciting while making sure the water stays safe for riders.

As water moves downhill, gravity makes it speed up. The water at the bottom depends on the height it starts from. A taller slide gives the water more potential energy at the top. That energy changes into kinetic energy as the water descends, so the flow becomes faster.

Bernoulli's principle helps describe...