80

REVIEW QUESTIONS
The following questions come from recent examination papers and, as such, are good examples of
the type of question that will appear on your examination appear. The marks allocated also indicate,
in minutes, the amount of time available under exam conditions to do the questions.
1

A 40 kg block of aluminium is hung from the end of a vertical 0.50 m long steel wire with a cross-sectional area
of 5.0 10-5m2
(i) Find the stress and strain in the wire.
(ii) What is the increase in the length of the steel wire?
Young's modulus of aluminium

7.0 101 0 Pa

Young's modulus of steel

2.0 1011 Pa

Tensile strength of steel

3.0 108 Pa
[6 marks]

(a) Explain the meaning of the terms tensile stress and tensile strain.
[4 marks]
(b)

stress

strain
The graph shows the relationship between tensile stress and tensile strain for a specimen of metal. Copy the graph
and label it with the following regions or points.
(i) Region of plastic flow
(ii) Fracture point
(iii) Elastic limit.
Comment on the significance of each of these.
{6 marks]
3

(a) Elastic moduli, elastic limits and strengths of material all are quoted with the same units, pascals. Explain
the differences between these three physical quantities.
(b) What is the maximum weight that can be supported by a brick 50 mm thick, 80 mm wide and 200 mm
long?
Young's modulus for brick
:
2.0 1010 Pa
Compressive strength for brick

4.0 107 Pa
[10 marks]

For a leg bone of length 0.50 m and diameter 30 mm estimate

(i)
the maximum stretching force it can bear,
(ii)
the maximum change in length before fracture occurs.
Tensile strength of bone

1.7 108 Pa

Young's modulus of bone

9.4 109 Pa
[8 marks]

Review Questions
5

81

A mass of 10 kg is hung from the end of a thin strip of steel which is 0.20 m long, 10.0 mm wide and
1.00!mm thick.
As a consequence the strip stretches by 0.01 mm.

(i)
(ii)

Name the elastic modulus appropriate to this situation.

Calculate its value.
[8 marks]

What are the stress, the strain and hence the approximate Young's modulus for a fibre of the protein elastin which
has a cross-sectional area l.0 10-10 m2 and which is stretched to twice its original length by a force of
5.0 10-5 N?
[4 marks]

Calculate the volume of 1.025 103 kg of sea-water at a depth near 5 km where the pressure is 5.0 107 Pa.
Hence calculate the density of sea-water at this depth.
Bulk modulus of sea-water

Density of surface sea-water

2.2 109 Pa
1.025 103 kg.m-3
[5 marks]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 1 shows a wire loop that has a soap film across it which is supporting a loop of thread. When the film
inside the loop of thread is punctured, the loop takes up a circular shape as in figure 2.
Explain this phenomenon.
[5 marks]
9

(a) Sketch the shape of the liquid surface for the following two situations.
(i)
A liquid wets a partly immersed object,
(ii)
A liquid does not wet a partly immersed object.
(b) Sap of density 1 103 kg.m-3 and surface tension 1 10-1 N.m-1 rises in a capillary of radius 1 10-5 m
in a tree. Assume that the sap wets the surface of the capillary.
To what height can the sap rise due to capillary-action alone?

Review Questions

82
[8 marks]

1 0 A section of coarse-grained soil is adjacent to a finer-grained soil of the same material. Explain why the water
table (the underground level of the water) is higher in the finer-grained soil.

ground

coarse
soil

water
table

water
table
fine
soil

[6 marks]
11

Before

After

When an air bubble inside water expands, the work required is greater than that needed just to expand the gas
inside the bubble.
(i) Describe the origin of this extra work.
(ii) Calculate its magnitude for a bubble which expands from a radius of 0.5!mm to a radius of
1.0!mm
[8 marks]
12

20 mm
1 mm

As shown in the diagram above, a glass slide 1 mm thick and 20 mm wide is partially immersed in water.
Surface tension of water
:
0.07 N.m-1.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Calculate the force due to surface tension acting on the slide.

In what direction is this force acting?
How does this force change if detergent is added to the water?
[8 marks]

Review Questions

83

1 3 (a) Explain what is meant by the term streamline in describing fluid flow.
r
(b) A blood vessel of radius r splits into five vessels, each with radius . If the average velocity of blood flow
4
in the large vessel is v, find the average velocity in each of the small vessels.
[8 marks]
1 4 A water pipeline with a branched section is constructed as shown in the diagram. The two branches have the
same length.

5 mm
10 mm

A
10 mm

(i)
For what velocity does the flow at A become turbulent?
The velocity at point A is 0.01 m.s-1.
(ii)
What is the ratio of the volume rate of flow at B to that at C?
(iii) Calculate the flow velocity at C.
[12 marks]
1 5 A scale model of a bacterial flagellum is to be made using a cylinder 5.0 mm in diameter. The velocity of the
cylinder is to be 20 mm.s-1.
The Reynolds number for the flagellum is 10-3.
The model should have the same Reynolds number as the real system if conclusions drawn from
the model are to be correct for the living organism.
h
What must be the kinetic viscosity (= , where h is the viscosity and r the density) of the fluid
r
to be used for the model experiment?
Using the data below, suggest a suitable fluid for the experiment.
Fluid

Kinematic Viscosity/m2 .s-1

Ether

10-7

Water

10-6

Glycerol

10-4

Sucrose

10-1

[9 marks]
1 6 (a) Use an energy argument to explain Bernoulli's principle, that is why, for constricted streamline flow, the
fluid pressure decreases as the flow velocity increases.
(b) How does the presence of turbulence affect the applicability of Bernoulli's theorem?
[10 marks]

Review Questions

84

17

As illustrated above, water flows through a section of a tube with circular cross-section. The radius of the tube at
A is 10.0 mm and that at B is 5.0 mm. The water velocity at point A is 1.0! 10-2 m.s-1.
(i)
Copy the diagram above and sketch the pattern of streamlines in the tube.
(ii)
Calculate the velocity of water at point B.
(iii) If the flow rate is gradually increased where will turbulence be first observed?
(iv) Estimate the velocity of water at B when this happens. Explain how you made this
estimate.
Viscosity of water

1 10-3 kg.m-2. s-1

[10 marks]

1 8 A non-viscous fluid is flowing smoothly in a horizontal pipe. At point A the cross section is 3.0 m2 and at
point B it is 1.5 m2 .
(i)
At which point is the pressure higher?
(ii)
State very briefly the physical principles behind your answer.
[6 marks]
1 9 The normal rate of flow of the blood through the circulatory system is about 8.3!!10-5! m3 .s-1. All the blood
passes through the aorta which has a radius of about 9!mm.
(i)
Estimate the mean velocity of blood flowing in the aorta.
(ii)
Show, by calculation, that the flow would probably be non-turbulent.
Viscosity of blood

4 10-3 Pa.s

Density of blood

1 103 kg.m-3
[8 marks]

2 0 Describe an experiment that shows a qualitative relationship in fluid flow between shear stress and velocity
gradient.
In your description indicate how both these quantities could be measured.
[6 marks]
2 1 An echiuroid worm feeds by passing a current of water through a porous membrane 10 mm thick containing
cylindrical holes each of area 1 10-12 m2 . The area of the membrane is 2! 10-3 m2 and half this area is
holes.
If 1.2 10-3 m3 of water flow through the net in an hour, calculate the pressure difference that
exists across the net.
1 10-3 Pa.s
Dp r4 p
Poiseuille's equation
:
Q=
.
l h 8
where Q is the volume rate of flow of fluid of viscosity, h, through a pipe, or radius r and lengthl, as
a result of a pressure difference Dp.
[10 marks]
Viscosity of water

Review Questions

85

2 2 Q, the rate of flow of fluid through a pipe of radius r and length l, subject to a pressure difference p is given by
Poisuille's equation :
pr4Dp
Q =
8lh
where h is the viscosity of the fluid.
Blood flows from the foreleg of an animal through a hypodermic needle inserted into an artery.
The needle is of length 80 mm and internal radius 0.30 mm. The drop in blood pressure across the artery is
1.2 104 Pa.
Calculate the time required to obtain a sample of 50 mL (millilitres).
Viscosity of blood

4 10-3 Pa.s
[6 marks]

2 3 Poiseuille's equation states that for streamline flow the quantity of fluid passing through a pipe in a fixed time is
proportional to the product of the pressure difference and the fourth power of the radius.
(a)
Water in a pipe is flowing without turbulence under a certain pressure difference. If the
radius of the pipe is reduced by 20%, what percentage increase in pressure difference is required to maintain
the same flow rate?
(b)
In agricultural irrigation, typical values of flow velocity and pipe width are 1.0 m.s-1 and
100 mm, respectively. Is a calculation such as in part (a) applicable? Explain.
[8 marks]
2 4 Poiseuille's equation for the rate of flow of a viscous fluid, is
pr4Dp
Q =
8lh
In the body, there are of the order of 101 0 capillaries. The average length of the capillaries is
about 2 10-3 m and the average radius about 4 10-6 m. These capillaries act in parallel to convey blood
through the body at a rate of 8 10-5 m3 .s-1.
Calculate the total pressure drop along a capillary.
Viscosity of blood

4 10-3 Pa.s
[5 marks]

2 5 The rate of fluid flow through a pipe depends on four physical variables. Name each of these variables and state
whether an increase in its magnitude would increase the flow rate.
[8 marks]
2 6 Explain, in each case with an example, the following terms:
non-newtonian flow
dilatancy
thixotropy
stress relaxation
[8 marks]

Review Questions

86

2 7 Explain, with examples, three of the following terms

pseudo-plastic
dilatant
viscoelastic
thixotropic
creep.
[9 marks]
2 8 (a) Compare the ways in which solid, liquids and viscoelastic materials respond to an applied stress.
(b) Blood is a thixotropic material. How does this affect the design of an artificial heart or blood pump?
[8 marks]
2 9 (a) Explain briefly, preferably with the aid of a diagram, the meanings of the term shear stress and shear strain.
[4 marks]
(b) State the relationship between shear stress and shear strain for an elastic solid.
[1 marks]
(c) Use these concepts to describe the difference in behaviour, under shear, of an elastic solid and a viscous
liquid.
[4 marks]
(d) Define, preferably with the aid of a diagram, coefficient of (dynamic) viscosity (h).
[4 marks]
(e) Using words and/or diagrams, distinguish amongst a newtonian liquid, a dilatant liquid and a pseudoplastic
liquid.
[6marks]
(f) State what is meant by a thixotropic substance.
[3 marks]
3 0 Liquid is placed in a burette and allowed to drain from it under conditions of laminar flow. Explain how you
would use a graph showing the rate of flow as a function of height of liquid in the burette to determine
whether the liquid is newtonian or non-newtonian.
If the liquid were a solution of starch in water sketch the expected shape of the curve.
[8 marks]
3 1 Ordinary house paint is a non-newtonian liquid, i.e. its viscosity depends on shear rate. What observational
evidence can you produce for this statement?
[8 marks]
3 2 (a) Write down the two experimental laws of sliding friction.
(b) Explain the difference between the apparent area of contact between two surfaces and the real area of contact.
(c) How does the real area of contact change with increasing load?
[8 marks]
3 3 Discuss the type of lubrication used in man-made machinery and in the synovial joints in animals.
[8 marks]
3 4 The coefficient of friction between the wheels of a car and the road is 0.8. If the rear (driving) wheels of the car
support 40% of its weight estimate the car's maximum acceleration.
[6 marks]
3 5 (a) Use a microscopic model of the frictional process to explain why the frictional force exerted when a body
slides over a surface is dependent on the weight of the body but approximately independent of the area of
contact.
(b) Why does the presence of a lubricant such as oil or water decrease the frictional force?
[10 marks]

Review Questions

87

36

4
acceleration
component
-2

!!!/ m .s

3
2
1
0
0

4
force component / kN

A laden sledge of mass 1000 kg is towed across smooth level ground by a tractor. The graph shows the
acceleration (a) of the sledge as a function of the force exerted on it by the tractor.
(i) Explain the shape of this graph in terms of the laws of sliding friction.
(ii) Estimate the coefficient of sliding friction between sledge and ground.
[8 marks]
3 7 A beer barrel is dragged without rolling at constant speed across a horizontal floor. How does the force required
to propel the barrel depend on
(i)
the weight of the barrel,
(ii)
the area of contact with the floor.
If the barrel is rolled across the floor at constant speed how does the propulsive force required
compare with the former case?
[8 marks]
3 8 The following table gives the bulk moduli and the densities of four metals : iron, magnesium, tin and tungsten.
Bulk modulus/(101 0 Pa) Density/(103 kg.m-3)
iron 17.0
7.9
magnesium
3.6
1.7
tin
7.3
19.6
tungsten
19.3
31.1
(i) Which of the other three metals has a specific acoustic impedance closest to that of iron?
(ii) Calculate the speed of sound in that metal and compare with the speed of sound in iron?
[6 marks]
3 9 (a) Describe the physics underlying the medical technique of echoscopy.
(b) In a brain scan echoes from the right side of the skull, the midline of the brain and the left side of the skull
are obtainable after times of 12 ms, 128 ms and 250 ms respectively. The sound velocity in the brain is
1540!m.s-1.
(i) How far is the midline of the brain displaced?
(ii) Which hemisphere of the brain is enlarged? Justify your answer.
[8 marks]