Senior High School

General Physics 1
Quarter 2 – Supplementary Materials
Fluid Mechanics

Engr. Jeoffna Ruth C. Dasigo

Physics Teacher
 General Physics 1
Supplementary Material – Fluid Mechanics

What I Need to Know

Learning Competencies:
1. Relate density, specific gravity, mass, and volume to each other. STEM_GP12FM-IIf-40
2. Relate pressure to area and force. STEM_GP12FM-IIf-41
3. Relate pressure to fluid density and depth. STEM_GP12FM-IIf-42
4. Apply Pascal’s principle in analyzing fluids in various systems. STEM_GP12FM-IIf-43
5. Apply the concept of buoyancy and Archimedes’ principle. STEM_GP12FM-IIf-44
6. Apply Bernoulli’s principle and continuity equation, whenever appropriate, to infer relations
involving pressure, elevation, speed, and flux. STEM_GP12FM-IIf-46

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Relate density, specific gravity, mass, and volume to each other.
2. Relate pressure to area and force.
3. Relate pressure to fluid density and depth.
4. Apply Pascal’s principle in analyzing fluids in various systems.
5. Apply the concept of buoyancy and Archimedes’ principle.
6. Apply Bernoulli’s principle and continuity equation, whenever appropriate, to infer relations
involving pressure, elevation, speed, and flux.

Lesson 1: Specific Gravity, Density, Mass, and Volume

What Is It?
• Mass
Mass is the measure of the amount of matter. It is approximately the measure of the number of
atoms in a given object. Mass is also the measure of an object’s resistance to gravity. The kilogram is the
basic SI unit of mass.
• Volume
Volume is a measure of the amount of three-dimensional space that is being occupied by a liquid,
solid, or a gas. The basic SI unit for volume is cubic meter (m³).
• Density
An object's density is the ratio of mass to volume of an object. The mass is how much it resists
acceleration when a force is applied to it and generally means how much of an object or substance there
is. Volume describes how much space an object takes up.
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑚
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = =
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑉
Density is usually a measured property of a substance, so its numerical value affects the
significant figures in a calculation. Notice that density is defined in terms of two dissimilar units, mass
and volume. That means that density overall has derived units, just like velocity. Common units for
density include g/mL, g/cm3, g/L, kg/L, and even kg/m3. Below is a list of densities of common
substances.

Substance Density (g/mL) Substance Density (g/mL)

Hydrogen 0.000089 Table Salt 2.16
Carbon Dioxide 0.0019 Aluminum 2.70
Oxygen 1.33 g/L Iron 7.86
Ice (0oC) 0.917 Copper 8.92
Ethyl Alcohol 0.79 Lead 11.34
Water 0.998 Mercury 13.59
Air 1.20 g/L Gold 19.3

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 45

Example:
An 18.2g sample of zinc metal has a volume of 2.55cm3. Calculate the density of zinc.

Solution:
𝑚 18.2 𝑔 𝑔
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = = = 7.14
𝑉 2.55 𝑐𝑚3 𝑐𝑚3

Does density change with mass and volume?

Density is an intensive property of the material or substance and depends upon the relationship
between the mass and volume. Unless the mass changes in relation to the volume, the density will not
change.

Is density proportional to mass and volume?

Note that density is directly proportional to the mass (or weight) and indirectly proportional to the
volume: If volume stays the same as mass increases, the density will increase by the same factor. ... If the
mass stays the same as the volume is increased, the density will decrease by that factor.

What is the relationship between mass volume and density?

Density is proportional to both mass and volume. Density is inversely proportional to both mass and
volume.

• Specific Gravity
Specific gravity is the ratio of the density (mass of a unit volume) of a substance to the density of a
given reference material, often a liquid.
𝑔
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 ( )
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑚𝐿
𝑔
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 ( )
𝑚𝐿
"Specific gravity
determines whether an
object will float or sink
For example the density of Gold is 19300kg/m3 . Solve for the specific gravity of Gold. in water."
Solution: It is unitless/has no unit
Specific gravity of Gold= density of Gold ÷ density of water
Specific gravity of Gold= 19300kg/m3 ÷ 1000kg/m3
Specific gravity of Gold= 19.3 kg/m3

Note: There is no specific unit of specific gravity because it is a ratio of one density to another
density, so the unit cancel each other.

If a substance's relative density is less than one then it is less dense than water and similarly, if
greater than 1 then it is denser than water. If the relative density is exactly 1 then the densities are equal.
For example, an ice cube, with a relative density of about 0.91, will float on water and a substance with a
relative density greater than 1 will sink.

What I Have Learned

Activity 5.1.1 Answer the following and show your solution.

1. What is he mass of 2.49cm32.49cm3 of aluminum?

2. What is the volume of 50.0g50.0g of aluminum?
3. What is the specific gravity of Coconut Oil with density of 930 kg/m3?
4. What is the specific gravity of Gasoline vehicle with density of 737 kg/ m3?
5. What is the specific gravity of Kerosene with density of 820 kg/ m3?
6. What is the specific gravity of Mercury with density of 13590 kg/m3?
7. What is the specific gravity of Sea water with a density of 1025 kg/ m3?

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 46

Lesson 2: Pressure
What Is It?
The amount of force exerted on a surface per unit area is defined as ‘Pressure’. It can also be
defined as the ratio of the force to the area (over which the force is acting).
𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 or normal force
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 =
𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒
𝐹 𝐹
𝑃= , 𝐹 = 𝑃𝐴, 𝐴=
𝐴 𝑃
where:
P is pressure in pascals (Pa);
F is contact force in newtons (N);
A is area on which force acts in square meters (m2)

A force of 1 N acting on 1 m2 creates a pressure of 1 Pa.

The pressure exerted by a confined gas results from the average effect of the forces produced on
the container walls by the rapid and continual bombardment of the huge number of gas molecules.
Absolute pressure of a gas or liquid is the total pressure it exerts, including the effect of atmospheric
pressure. An absolute pressure of zero corresponds to empty space or a complete vacuum.

According to the ideal gas law, when a gas is compressed into a smaller volume, the number and velocity
of molecular collisions increase, raising the gas's temperature and pressure.

What is the relationship between area and pressure?

The relation between pressure and area is that pressure and area are inversely proportional to each
other. That is when area decreases pressure exerted on that area increases. When area increases pressure
exerted on that area decreases.

What happens to pressure when area increases?

With more particles there will be more collisions and so a greater pressure. ... Because the area of
the container has increased, there will be fewer of these collisions per unit area and the pressure will
decrease. Volume is inversely proportional to pressure if the number of particles and the temperature are
constant.

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 47

Pressure in a Liquid
The pressure in a liquid is different at different depths. Pressure increases as the depth increases.
The pressure in a liquid is due to the weight of the column of water above. Since the particles in a liquid
are tightly packed, this pressure acts in all directions. For example, the pressure acting on a dam at the
bottom of a reservoir is greater than the pressure acting near the top. This is why dam walls are usually
wedge-shaped.
The pressure caused by a column of liquid can be calculated using the equation:
pressure = height of column × density of the liquid × gravitational field strength

𝑝 = 𝜌ℎ𝑔
where:
Pressure (p) is measured in pascals (Pa)
Height of column (h) is measured in meters (m)
Density (ρ) is measured in kilograms per meter cubed (kg/m3)
Gravitational field strength (g) is measured in newtons per kilogram (N/kg)

The symbol ρ is the Greek letter rho - it is pronounced ‘row’.

Examples:
1. Acceleration due to gravity is 10 N/kg. The surface area of fish pressed by the water above it is 6
cm2. Determine the force of water above fish that acts on fish.

We are given:
Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 10 N/kg
Surface area of fish (A) = 6 cm2 = 6 x 10-4 m2
𝑔 10−3 𝑘𝑔 103 𝑘𝑔
Density of water = 1 3 = 1 ( −6 3) = = 1000 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3
𝑐𝑚 10 𝑚 𝑚3
Height of water = 100 cm – 15 cm = 85 cm = 85 x 10-2 meters

Solution:
𝐹
𝑃=
𝐴
𝐹 = 𝑃𝐴 = 𝑝𝑔ℎ𝐴
𝑘𝑔 𝑁
𝐹 = (1000 3 ) (10 ) (85 𝑥10−2 𝑚)(6 𝑥10−4 𝑚2 )
𝑚 𝑘𝑔
𝐹 = 5.1 𝑁

2. The normal pressure of blood is 80 mm hg to 120 mm hg. This value is equal to _____.
Solution:
The height of mercury in barometer (above the surface of the sea) = 760 mm Hg
Pressure of air (above the surface of sea) = 1 atm = 1.0 x 10 5 Pascal

1 𝑥105 𝑃𝑎 100,000 𝑃𝑎 𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙

= = 131.58
760 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 760 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 48

 1 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 = 131.58 𝑃𝑎

80 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 = 80(131.58 𝑃𝑎) = 10,526 𝑃𝑎

120 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 = 120(131.58 𝑃𝑎) = 15,789 𝑃𝑎

3. The density of water is 1,000 kg/m3. Calculate the pressure exerted by the water on the bottom of
a 2.0 m deep swimming pool. (Gravitational field strength = 9.8 N/kg). Acceleration due to gravity = 9.8m/s^2
𝑃 = 𝜌ℎ𝑔
𝑘𝑔 𝑁
𝑃 = (1000 3 ) (2.0 𝑚) (9.8 ) = 19.6 𝑘𝑃𝑎
𝑚 𝑘𝑔

What I Have Learned

Activity 5.2.1 Solve the given problems and show your solution.

1. If a weight of fluid of 200 N acts on a surface of 5 m2, calculate the pressure created.
2. What force must be applied to a surface area of 0.0025 m2, to create a pressure of 200,000 Pa?
3. In a hydraulic lift system, what must the surface area of a piston be in cm2 if a pressure of 300 kPa
is used to give a desired upward force of 2000 N?
4. Above the surface of the sea, the height of mercury in a barometer is 780 mm. If at a place, the
height of mercury in a barometer is 700 mm. Determine the pressure of air at that place.
5. A stone is dropped into a lake. Calculate the increase in pressure on the stone caused by the water
when it sinks from 1 m deep to 6 m deep. (The density of water is 1,000 kg/m 3 and gravitational
field strength is 9.8 N/kg).
6. The density of water is 1000 kg/m3. Calculate the pressure at the bottom of a dam 12 m deep.
(Gravitational field strength = 9.8 N/kg).

An object that is partly, or completely, submerged experiences a greater pressure on its bottom surface
than on its top surface. This causes a resultant force upwards. This force is called upthrust.

Activity 5.2.2 Think critically!

Answer the following questions.

1. What happens to pressure when Force increases, and the surface area is keep in constant?
2. What happens to pressure when surface area increases, and the Force is keep in constant?
3. How does density affect pressure in liquids?
4. How does pressure vary with depth?
5. Why does water pressure increase with depth?
6. Does pressure depend on density?

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 49

Lesson 3: Pascal’s Principle
What Is It?
“The external static pressure applied on a confined liquid is distributed or transmitted evenly
throughout the liquid in all directions”.
The static pressure acts at right angles to any surface in contact with the fluid. Pascal also found
that the pressure at a point for a static fluid would be the same across all planes passing through that point
in that fluid. Pascal’s law is also known as Pascal’s principle or principle of transmission of fluid-
pressure. In 1653, Pascal law was stated by French mathematician Blaise Pascal.

The formula of Pascal law is

𝐹 = 𝑃𝐴
where:
F is the force applied
P is the pressure transmitted
A is the cross-sectional area

Examples:
1. If the area of A1 = 0.001 m2 and the area of A2 = 0.1 m2, external input force F1 = 100 N, then the
external output force F2?

We are given:
The area of A1 = 0.001 m2
The area of A2 = 0.1 m2
External input force F1 = 100 Newton

Solution:
𝑃1 = 𝑃2
𝐹1 𝐹2
=
𝐴1 𝐴2
100 𝑁 𝐹2
2 =
0.001 𝑚 0.1 𝑚2
𝐹2 = 10 𝑘𝑁
2. Car’s weight = 16,000 N. What is the external input force F?

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 50

 We are given:
Car’s weight (w) = 16,000 N
Area of B (AB) = 4000 cm2 = 0.4 m2
Area of A (AA) = 50 cm2 = 0.005 m2

Solution:
𝐹 𝑊
=
𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐵
𝐹 16,000 𝑁
=
0.005 𝑚2 0.4 𝑚2
𝐹 = 200 𝑁

What I Have Learned

Activity 5.3.1 Solve the given problems and show your solution.

1. Area of A is 60 cm2 and area of B is 4,200 cm2, determine the external input force of F on A, if
the weight on B is 4000 N.
2. The hydraulic lift has a large cross section and a small cross section. Large cross-sectional area is
20 times the small cross-sectional area. If on the small cross section is given an input force of 25
N, then determine the output force.
3. If the area of A1 = 0.003 m2 and the area of A2 = 0.4 m2, external input force F1 = 300 N, then the
external output force F2?
4. Suppose the car in example number 2 is replaced by a truck. Truck’s weight = 24,000 N. What is
the external input force F?

Lesson 4: Archimedes Principle

What Is It?
“The upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether partially or
fully submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces and acts in the upward
direction at the center of mass of the displaced fluid”.

The value of thrust force is given by the Archimedes law which was discovered by Archimedes of
Syracuse of Greece. When an object is partially or fully immersed in a liquid, the apparent loss of weight
is equal to the weight of the liquid displaced by it.

If you look at the figure, the weight due to gravity is opposed by the thrust provided by the fluid.
The object inside the liquid only feels the total force acting on it as the weight. Because the
actual gravitational force is decreased by the liquid’s upthrust, the object feels as though its weight is
reduced. The apparent weight is thus given by:
Apparent weight = Weight of object (in the air) – Thrust force (buoyancy)

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 51

 Archimedes’ principle tells us that this loss of weight is equal to the weight of liquid the object
displaces. If the object has a volume of V, then it displaces a volume V of the liquid when it is fully
submerged. If only a part of the volume is submerged, the object can only displace that much of liquid.

In simple form, the Archimedes law states that the buoyant force on an object is equal to the
weight of the fluid displaced by the object. Mathematically written as:
𝐹𝑏 = 𝜌𝑔𝑉
where:
Fb is the buoyant force
ρ is the density the fluid
V is the submerged volume
g is the acceleration due to gravity

Example:

1. A steel ball of 5cm radius is immersed in water. It calculates the thrust and the resulting force
(lead density = 7900kg/m3).
steel
To calculate the resulting push, we must calculate the volume of the ball.
4 4
𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟 3 = 𝜋(5 𝑥10−2 𝑚)3 = 5.24 𝑥10−4 𝑚3
3 3
Now we calculate the force
𝑘𝑔 𝑚
𝐹 = 𝜌𝑔𝑉 = (1000 3 ) (9.8 2 ) (5.24 𝑥10−4 𝑚3 ) = 5.1254 𝑁
𝑚 𝑠
Let's go with the resulting force. Here two forces act: the push of the water upwards and the weight of the
ball downwards. We still have to calculate this last one:

The density of lead is 7900kg/m3, then the mass of lead is

𝑘𝑔
𝑚 = 𝜌𝑉 = (7900 3 ) (5.24 𝑥10−4 𝑚3 ) = 4.1396 𝑘𝑔
𝑚
The weight of the ball is
𝑚
𝑊 = 𝑚𝑔 = (4.1396 𝑘𝑔) (9.8 2 ) = 40.568 𝑁
𝑠
The resulting apparent weight is
𝑊𝑎 = 𝑊 − 𝐹 = 40.568 𝑁 − 5.1254 𝑁 = 35.443 𝑁

What I Have Learned

Activity 5.4.1 Solve the given problem and show your solution.

1. Calculate the resulting force, if a steel ball of radius 6.5 cm is immersed in water.
2. Calculate the buoyant force, if a floating body is 90% submerged in water. The density of water is
1000 kg.m-3.

Activity 5.4.2 Answer the following questions. Justify your answer.

1. How does the Archimedes principle apply to ships?

2. Where is the Archimedes principle used?
3. How can the Archimedes Principle be used to determine the density?

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 52

 Lesson 5: Bernoulli’s Principle
What Is It?
The total mechanical energy of the moving fluid comprising the gravitational potential energy of
elevation, the energy associated with the fluid pressure and the kinetic energy of the fluid motion, remains
constant.
Note: Fluid
is in motion Bernoulli’s principle formulated by Daniel Bernoulli states that as the speed of a moving fluid
increases (liquid or gas), the pressure within the fluid decreases. Although Bernoulli deduced the law, it
was Leonhard Euler who derived Bernoulli’s equation in its usual form in the year 1752.

Bernoulli’s equation formula is a relation between pressure, kinetic energy, and gravitational
potential energy of a fluid in a container.

The formula for Bernoulli’s principle is given as:

1
𝑃 + 𝜌𝑉 2 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
2
where:
P is the pressure exerted by the fluid
V is the velocity of the fluid
ρ is the density of the fluid
h is the height of the container

Bernoulli’s equation gives great insight into the balance between pressure, velocity, and elevation.

Bernoulli’s Equation at Constant Depth

When the fluid moves at a constant depth that is when h1 = h2, then Bernoulli’s equation is given
as:
1 1
𝑃1 + 𝜌𝑉12 = 𝑃2 + 𝜌𝑉22
2 2
Bernoulli’s Equation for Static Fluids
When the fluid is static, then V1 = V2 = 0, then Bernoulli’s equation is given as:

When V1 = V2 = 0 𝑃1 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ1 = 𝑃2 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ2

When h2 = 0 𝑃2 = 𝑃1 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ1

Example:
1. Calculate the pressure in the hose whose absolute pressure is 1.01 x 105 N.m-2 if the speed of
the water in the hose increases from 1.96 m.s-1 to 25.5 m.s-1. Assume that the flow is frictionless
and density 103 kg/m3.
We are given:
Pressure at point 2, P2 = 1.01 × 105 N.m-2
Density of the fluid, ρ = 103 kg.m-3
Velocity of the fluid at point 1, V1 = 1.96 m.s-1
Velocity of the fluid at point 2, V2 = 25.5 m.s-1

From Bernoulli’s principle for P1,

1
𝑃1 = 𝑃2 + 𝜌(𝑉22 − 𝑉12 )
2

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 53

Substituting the values in above equation, we get
𝑁 1 103 𝑘𝑔
𝑃1 = (1.01 𝑥105 2 ) + ( ) [(25.5)2 − (1.96)2 ]
𝑚 2 𝑚3
𝑁
𝑃1 = 4.24 𝑥105 2
𝑚

What I have Learned

Activity 5.5.1 Solve the given problem and show your solution.

1. Given a hose whose absolute pressure is 1.1 x 105 N/m2. Calculate the pressure if the speed of
the water in the hose increases from 2.3 m/s to 35.5 m/s. Assume that the flow is frictionless and
density 103 kg/m3.

What I Can Do
Activity 5.5.2 Solve the given problems and show your solution.

1. Mother baked a cake that has a mass of 300 grams and fits in a cake pan that is 30 by 10 by 6.0
centimeters cubed. What is the density of the cake?
2. A box has a mass of 1.0 gram, and its dimensions are 1.0 by 5.0 by 8.6 centimeters cubed. It
contains 32 cough drops, each of which has a mass of 2.2 grams. What is the density of the box
when it is full of cough drops?
3. Gasoline has a density of 731 kilograms per cubic meter. What is its specific gravity?
4. A pipe fill of water has a pressure of 105 pascals at the top. What is the change in pressure
between the top and the bottom of the pipe, 3.4 meters lower?
5. If the area of A1 = 0.003 m2 and the area of A2 = 0.2 m2, external input force F1 = 110 N, then the
external output force F2?

References:
www.mometrix.com/academy/mass-weight-volume-density-and-specific-gravity/
chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Saint_Francis_University/CHEM_113:_Human_Chemistry_I_(Muino)
/01:_Matter_and_Measurements/1.14
www.toppr.com/guides/physics/force-and-pressure/introduction-to-pressure
www.britannica.com/science/pressure
physics.gurumuda.net/pressure-of-fluids-problems-and-solutions.htm
Bite Size | www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides

General Physics 1 – Quarter 2 54