Doubt related to buoyant force and fluid thrust force

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the forces acting on a wedge submerged in a fluid, specifically focusing on buoyant force and fluid thrust force. Participants are exploring the relationships between these forces and their components, as well as the implications of these relationships in the context of the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning whether the buoyant force should be considered a separate force or a component of the thrust force. There is also confusion regarding the role of the angle in the expressions for frictional force and the components of thrust.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants seeking clarification on the definitions and relationships between the forces involved. Some guidance has been offered regarding the interpretation of the forces, but multiple interpretations are still being explored.

Contextual Notes

There is a reference to balancing forces on the wedge and the need to clarify which forces are being considered from the original problem versus participants' interpretations. The discussion includes specific expressions for forces that are under scrutiny.

Hamiltonian
Messages
296
Reaction score
193
Homework Statement
Mark all the forces acting on the wedge (the coefficient of friction between the wall and the wedge is mu) the container is of depth h and breadth b.
The wedge is placed in a fluid of density d.
Relevant Equations
-
wedge in water.png

(this problem is slightly modified from the original problem.)
There is a contact force(friction and normal force) between the wedge and the walls of the container and there is a fluid thrust acting on the side of the wedge in contact with the fluid( this force is normal to the slanted surface and the force per depth can be given by the are of the pressure diagram) there is also a buoyant force acting on this wedge in the upward direction.
$$F_{thrust} = \frac {dgh^2 b}{2cos\theta}$$
$$F_{buoyant} = dg((1/2) h^2 b tan\theta)$$
$$f = \frac{\mu dgh^2 b}{2}$$
$$F_{g} = mg$$

The normal reaction on the wedge is the horizontal component of ##F_{thrust}## and my confusion is, shouldn't ##F_{buoyant} ## actually not be a separate force rather it should be the vertical component of the force ##F_{thrust}##?
isn't the buoyant force a result of all the ##(da)P## (where ##da## is the differential area and P is the pressure at that point in the liquid)
If that's not the case what exactly is causing the buoyant force?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
The buoyancy force is the vertical component of the normal force the water exerts on the wedge.
I am confused by this: "The normal reaction on the wedge is the horizontal component of Fthrust". Which normal reaction, from water or wall?
 
haruspex said:
"The normal reaction on the wedge is the horizontal component of Fthrust". Which normal reaction, from water or wall?

( the normal reaction from the water is ##F_{thrust}##)
the x-component of ##F_{thrust}## is equal to the normal reaction form the wall.
 
Hamiltonian299792458 said:
( the normal reaction from the water is ##F_{thrust}##)
the x-component of ##F_{thrust}## is equal to the normal reaction form the wall.
Ok, but why doesn't the angle feature in your expression for the frictional force?
 
haruspex said:
The buoyancy force is the vertical component of the normal force the water exerts on the wedge.
but in this question, there is supposed to be another force ##F_{buoyant} = (1/2)dgh^2b tan\theta## supposed to be acting on the wedge which is in addition to the y component of ##F_{thrust}##
 
Hamiltonian299792458 said:
but in this question, there is supposed to be another force ##F_{buoyant} = (1/2)dgh^2b tan\theta## supposed to be acting on the wedge which is in addition to the y component of ##F_{thrust}##
It will help if you clarify which parts of your post are from the source text and which are your own thoughts.
 
wedge in wata.png

this is the original question.
option (a) is the correct answer.

Which can be obtained by balancing all the forces on the wedge.
In doing so the problem I faced was is whether the buoyant force acting on this wedge the Y-component of ##F_{thrust}## or whether the buoyant force is ##F_{buoyant} = (1/2)dgh^2b tan\theta## (given by Archimedes principle) and if the latter is correct what is exactly causing this force to act?

also the correct answer is obtained by adding this additional force ##F_{buoyant}##
 
haruspex said:
Ok, but why doesn't the angle feature in your expression for the frictional force?
It gets cancelled.
$$f=\mu F_{thrust} cos\theta$$
$$F_{thrust} = \frac {dgh^2 b}{2cos\theta}$$
 
Hamiltonian299792458 said:
It gets cancelled.
$$f=\mu F_{thrust} cos\theta$$
$$F_{thrust} = \frac {dgh^2 b}{2cos\theta}$$
So it does.

The y component of Fthrust is ##F_{thrust}\sin(\theta)=\frac {dgh^2 b\tan(\theta)}{2}##, as you calculated for the buoyant force. They're the same thing.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Hamiltonian
  • #10
Thanks!

I am going to go nowo:)
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
4K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
1K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 97 ·
4
Replies
97
Views
15K
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K