Fluid Mechanics & Machinery

Chapter 1

Properties of Fluids

Lesson 2
Fluid Properties
1
 Density:
The density (also known as mass density or specific mass) of a fluid defined as the mass per unit volume at a
standard temperature and pressure. It is usually denoted by symbol 𝜌 (rho). Mathematically, mass density is
written as,
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑚
𝜌= =
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑉
where, 𝑚 = mass of fluid & 𝑉 = Volume of fluid
𝑘𝑔
The value of density of water (𝜌) at 1 atmospheric pressure and 4℃ is 1000 .
𝑚3

 Unit of density:
𝑘𝑔
The unit of density in SI unit is .
𝑚3
 Dimension of density:
Dimension of density is [𝑀𝐿−3 ].
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔
Density= 300 ൗ𝑚3 Density= 800 ൗ𝑚3 Density= 1500 ൗ𝑚3 2
 Weight Density:

The weight density (also known as specific weight) is defined as the weight per unit volume of a fluid
at the standard temperature and pressure, it is usually denoted as 𝜔. Mathematically, weight density is
written as,
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 × 𝑔
𝜔= =
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑
𝜔 =𝜌×𝑔
𝑚
where, 𝑔 (acceleration due to gravity) = 9.81
𝑠2

𝑁
The value of weight density for water (𝜔) at 1 atmospheric pressure and 4℃ is 9810 .
𝑚3

 Unit of weight density:

𝑁
The unit of weight density in SI unit is .
𝑚3
 Dimension of weight density:
Dimension of weight density is [𝑀𝐿−2 𝑇 −2 ]. 3
 Specific Volume:
It is defined as a volume per unit mass of a fluid. It is denoted by 𝑣. It is reciprocal of density.
Mathematically, it is written as,

𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑉 1
𝑣= = =
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑚 𝜌

 Unit of specific volume:

𝑚3
The unit of specific volume in SI unit is .
𝑘𝑔

 Dimension of specific volume:

Dimension of specific volume is [𝑀−1 𝐿3 ].

4
 Specific Gravity:
It is defined as the ratio of the specific weight (or density) of any fluid to the specific weight (or density)
of a standard fluid. It is unitless and dimensionless quantity.

For liquids the standard fluid is pure water at 4oC, while for gasses the standard fluid is air and it is
denoted by the symbol S. Mathematically, it is written as,

𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑

𝑆 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑𝑠 =
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑎𝑠

𝑆 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑔𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑠 =
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑖𝑟

5
  Why specific gravity has no unit and no dimension?

From the definition of specific gravity (S),

𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑

𝑆 =
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑

It shows that specific gravity is the ratio of two quantities that have the same unit and same dimension

(i.e. specific weight or density). So, specific gravity has no unit and no dimension.

6
 Quiz Test
1. The specific gravity of water is taken as
(a) 0.01 (b) 1
(c) 0.001 (d) 0.1
Answer: (b)
2. The weight per unit volume of a liquid at a standard temperature and pressure is called
(a) density (b) specific weight
(c) surface tension (d) specific gravity
Answer: (b)
3. The mass per unit volume of a liquid at a standard temperature and pressure is called
(a) density (b) specific gravity
(c) weight density (d) none of these
Answer: (a)
4. Which of the following is dimensionless?
(a) specific gravity (b) specific weight
(c) specific speed (d) specific viscosity
Answer: (a)
5. Density of water is maximum at
(a) 0℃ (b) 0℉
(c) 4℃ (d) 100℃
Answer: (c) 7
 Workout Example

Example: Calculate the Specific weight, Density, Specific volume, and specific gravity of a
liquid having a volume of 5 𝑚3 and weight of 30 kN.
Solution:
Given,
Volume= 5 𝑚3 and Weight = 30 kN
We know that,
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑
a) Specific weight 𝜔 =
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑
30 𝑘𝑁 𝑁
= =6 3= 6000
5 𝑚 𝑚3
𝜔 6000 𝑘𝑔
b) Density 𝜌 = = = 611.62
𝑔 9.81 𝑚3
1 1 𝑚3
c) Specific volume= = = 0.001635
𝜌 611.62 𝑘𝑔
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 611.62
d) Specific gravity 𝑆 = = = 0.6116
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 1000
8
 References

1. Er. R.K. Rajput, A text book of Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines, S.Chand publication.
2. Dr. R.K. Bansal, A text book of Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines, Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd, India.
3. S.K. Som, G. Biswas, S. Chakraborty, Introduction to Fluid Mechanics and Fluid machines, McGraw-Hill, India.
4. Yunus A. Çengel, John M. Cimbala, Fluid mechanics, McGraw-Hill, New York.