Calculus II Work and Density Question

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the work required to pump fluid from a cylindrical tank, utilizing calculus concepts such as integration and density. Participants explore different setups and calculations related to the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Mathematical reasoning, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant sets up an integral for work using the formula for the area of a slice and arrives at a total of 264,000π Joules, questioning if they are on the right track.
  • Another participant proposes a general formula for calculating work in pumping fluid from a tank, detailing the integration process and arriving at a similar result of 264,600π Joules.
  • A later reply notes a discrepancy of 400π between the two answers, prompting a request for clarification on the difference.
  • Another participant suggests that the first participant made an arithmetical error, asserting that their evaluation of the integral matches the second participant's result.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus regarding the discrepancy in their results, with one participant attributing it to a potential error in arithmetic while another questions the source of the difference.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the parameters used in the calculations, such as density and gravitational acceleration, but does not resolve the differences in the final results.

ardentmed
Messages
158
Reaction score
0
Hey guys,

View attachment 2808
I'm not too sure of my answer for this question.

Knowing the the area is πr^2 for a single slice, I setup an integral with radius =5 and got $ \int_{0.3}^{1.5} 245,000πx \,d $ ultimately leads to 264,000π Joules for the answer.

Of course, this is bearing in mind that F=mg and D=m/v
Am I on the right track?

Thanks in advance.
 

Attachments

  • work.PNG
    work.PNG
    8.7 KB · Views: 118
Physics news on Phys.org
Let's develop a general formula into which we can just plug the given data:

Suppose we have an upright cylindrical tank, and we wish to compute the amount of work required to pump some of the fluid out, to some distance above the top of the tank.

Let's let the radius of the cylindrical tank be $r$, the height of the tank be $h$ and the additional distance above the tank the fluid must be pumped be $q$. All measures are in meters.

Let's then imagine the surface of the fluid is initially a distance $h_1$ from the top of the tank, and we wish to pump out fluid until the surface is a distance $h_2$ from the top of the tank. We will let $W$ be the amount of work required to accomplish this task.

We will use a vertical $y$-axis along which to integrate. Now, if we imagine slicing the cylinder of water we wish to remove into disks, we may state, using work is force times distance for a constant force:

[math]dW=Fd=mgd[/math]

The force exerted is equal to the weight of the slice, which is the product of the mass and the acceleration due to gravity.

The mass $m$ of the slice is the product of the mass density $\rho$ (in [math]\frac{\text{kg}}{\text{m}^3}[/math]) and the volume [math]V=\pi r^2\,dy[/math] of the slice, i.e.:

$m=\rho\pi r^2\,dy$

The distance the slice must be vertically moved against gravity is:

$d=q+y$

Putting it all together, we have:

[math]dW=\rho\pi g r^2(q+y)\,dy[/math]

Now, to find the total work done, we may sum the work differentials through integration:

[math]W=\rho\pi g r^2\int_{h_1}^{h_2}(q+y)\,dy[/math]

Applying the anti-derivative form of the FTOC, we find:

[math]W=\rho\pi g r^2\left[qy+\frac{1}{2}y^2 \right]_{h_1}^{h_2}[/math]

[math]W=\rho\pi g r^2\left(\left(qh_2+\frac{1}{2}h_2^2 \right)-\left(qh_1+\frac{1}{2}h_1^2 \right) \right)[/math]

[math]W=\rho\pi g r^2\left(q(h_2-h_1)+\frac{1}{2}(h_2^2-h_1^2) \right)[/math]

[math]W=\rho\pi g r^2(h_2-h_1)\left(q+\frac{1}{2}(h_2+h_1) \right)[/math]

[math]W=\frac{1}{2}\rho\pi g r^2(h_2-h_1)\left(h_1+h_2+2q \right)[/math]

Okay, now we have a general formula. Let's identify the parameters from your given problem.

$$\rho=\frac{1000\text{ kg}}{\text{m}^3},\,g=9.8\frac{\text{m}}{\text{s}^2}\,r=5\text{ m},\,h_1=0.3\text{ m},\,h_2=1.5\text{ m},\,q=0\text{ m}$$

And so we find:

[math]W=\frac{\pi}{2}\left(\frac{1000\text{ kg}}{\text{m}^3}\right)\pi\left(9.8\frac{\text{m}}{\text{s}^2}\right)\left(5\text{ m}\right)^2\left(1.5\text{ m}-0.3\text{ m}\right)\left(0.3\text{ m}+1.5\text{ m}+2\cdot0\text{ m} \right)[/math]

$$W=264600\pi\text{ J}$$
 
Excellent. Thank you so much for the insightful response.

But wait, what accounts for the extra 400π between our answers? Our setups for the question seems relatively similar.
 
ardentmed said:
Excellent. Thank you so much for the insightful response.

But wait, what accounts for the extra 400π between our answers? Our setups for the question seems relatively similar.

You've simply made an arithmetical error. When I evaluate the integral you set up, I get the same result I posted above. :D
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
11K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
5K
Replies
1
Views
2K