ERS 202: Biomechanics 1

FLUID MECHANICS

Spring 2011 Mr. Dicus

 Objectives
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Chapter 8  Gain a basic understanding of fluid

forces
 Buoyant Force
 Dynamic Fluid Force
 Drag – Surface and Form
 How to alter drag
 Lift
 Bernoulli’s
Principle
 Magnus Effect
 Effects of dynamic force
ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011
 Fluid Mechanics
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 Force that fluids exert on objects

 2 fluids we concern ourselves with:
 Air & Water
 Which plays a more important role?

 2 Forces exerted via a fluid medium

 Buoyant Force
 Vertical
 Due to immersion
 Dynamic Force
 Drag and Lift
 Due to relative motion
ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011
 Buoyant Force
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 Floatation depends on volume and weight of object

 This is compared to weight of same volume of water

 Specific Gravity
 Ratio of object weight to weight of equal volume of water
 Specific Gravity of 1 or less  ______

 Density (ρ = m/V)
 Ratio of mass to volume
 Water = 1000 kg/m3
 Air = 1.2 kg/m3

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Human Buoyancy
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 Bone and Muscle

 Density > 1000 kg/m3
 Fat
 Density < 1000 kg/m3

 Does someone with very little body fat float?

 Do you have control over you own body density?

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 ?WHY?
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ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Dynamic Force
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 Force due to relative motion

 Object moving or fluid moving over object

 Dynamic fluid force (F) is proportional to ( ):

 Densityof fluid (ρ)
 Surface area of object immersed (A)

 Square of relative velocity (v2)

F ρAv2

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Dynamic Force
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 Relative velocity
 Difference of the absolute velocity of object and
absolute velocity of fluid

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Dynamic Force
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 Drag
 Acts in opposition to relative motion of object

 Slow down or Speed up?

 The backward force molecules of a fluid exert on an object

(moving relative to the fluid)

 Size of drag force is proportional to:

 The acceleration of fluid molecules
 Mass of molecules that are slowed down

 2 types of drag: Surface and Form

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011
 Drag Equation
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ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Surface Drag (skin friction, viscous drag)
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 As molecule slides past surface of an object, friction

slows the molecule down
 Size of surface drag is affected by same factors as
drag force
 Coefficient of drag
 Largely affected by surface drag
 Where do we see this in athletics or elsewhere?
 Viscosity of fluid
 Internal friction between molecules of the fluid
 Examples of viscous fluids?

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Form Drag (shape drag, profile drag, pressure drag)
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 As an object moves through a fluid it is striking

molecules
 Impact causes molecules to accelerate and change
direction (move out of the way)
 Molecules impart a force back onto the object (3rd law)

 Larger change in direction = larger force exerted back

 Amount of form drag will depend on the flow of

molecules as the object passes through
 Laminar vs. Turbulent
ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011
 Form Drag
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Laminar Flow Turbulent Flow

 Fluid molecules stay
close to object
 Molecules separate
from surface
 Change in surface curve
too large
 Velocity too great

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Form Drag
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 Size of form drag

dependent on same factors
 Coefficient of drag
 Shape has greatest effect
 If molecules have to change
direction quickly then form drag
increases

 Texture will affect form drag

 Rough = turbulence

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Will rough surface always increase form drag?
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ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 How to reduce drag?
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 Equation

 What will have the greatest effect?

 Fluid density: Can we control?
 What about Colorado, warm air, humid air?
 Water temperature?
 Altering coefficient of drag?
 Relative velocity
 Drafting
 Surface area?
 Frontal cross sectional area
ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011
 Dilemma: Choosing the correct shape
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 Object Velocity
 Fastervelocity  form drag accounts for more
 Slower velocity  surface drag accounts for more

 Form Drag vs. Surface Drag

 Small surface are will decrease surface drag
 However…streamlining usually decreases form drag but
increases surface area
 What should you do if you are going to move at faster
velocities?
ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011
 Lift Force
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 Component of Dynamic fluid force

 Acts perpendicular to relative motion of object
 Does not oppose relative motion
 Lift will change direction of relative motion
 Lift can be directed in any direction
 Direction is dependent on direction of flow of fluid
 Equation:

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Lift Force
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 Basically:
 liftis caused by the lateral deflection of fluid molecules
as they pass an object
 Newton’s 3rd Law:

 Examples of Lift force:

 Air Chair

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Lift Force
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 Bernoulli’s Principle
 Faster moving fluids produce less lateral force than
slower moving fluids

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Lift Force
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 Spin (the Magnus effect)

 Gustav Magnus discovered that spinning balls have a
lift force
 Ball moving L to R with top spin:

 Backspin vs. Topspin

 Sidespin

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Effect of Dynamic Fluid Force
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 Remember Newton’s 2nd law: ∑F=ma or a=∑F/m

 Dynamic force equation:

 Force is inversely proportional to mass?

 Examples:

ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011

 Questions?
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Questions?
ERS 202: Biomechanics Spring 2011