Water flow speed through a pipe

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the speed of water flowing through a 1.3 cm diameter pipe filling a 295 L bathtub in 5 minutes. The volumetric flow rate is determined to be 59 L/min, which is not the linear speed required. To find the linear speed, one must convert the volumetric flow rate into cubic meters and apply the relationship between flow rate, velocity, and cross-sectional area of the pipe. The correct linear speed is derived from the volumetric flow rate divided by the cross-sectional area of the pipe.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of fluid dynamics principles, specifically Bernoulli's equation.
  • Knowledge of unit conversions, particularly between liters and cubic meters.
  • Familiarity with calculating cross-sectional areas of circular pipes.
  • Basic algebra skills for manipulating equations.
NEXT STEPS
  • Learn about Bernoulli's equation and its applications in fluid dynamics.
  • Study unit conversion techniques, focusing on volumetric measurements.
  • Explore how to calculate the cross-sectional area of a circle using the formula A = πr².
  • Investigate the relationship between volumetric flow rate and linear velocity in fluid systems.
USEFUL FOR

Students in physics or engineering courses, educators teaching fluid dynamics, and anyone involved in plumbing or hydraulic systems design.

Capncanada
Messages
52
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



Water flows through a 1.3 cm diameter pipe into a 295 L bathtub, which it fills in 5 min.

What is the speed of the water in the pipe?

Homework Equations



V_in=v_L*t*A_L (Equation I got in my class lecture, I think its a variation of bernoulli's.)

The Attempt at a Solution



Solved for v_L in that equation, but that's not correct.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Did you check your units? You are given liters, cm, and minutes. What units are used for velocity?
 
Clearly, the speed of the water in the pipe was
\frac{295\ \ell}{5\ min} = 59\ \ell/min

But, I'm guessing you're looking for linear speed, not volumetric speed? (something along the line of 5 cm/sec, for instance).
 
Actually 59 l/min is the volumetric flow rate which will equal velocity * cross sectional area of pipe. To make the units turn out correctly you will need to convert liters to cubic meters
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 30 ·
2
Replies
30
Views
3K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K