Question

Concept Problem

Find technical examples from the ancient or modern times within civil or mechanical engineering, which make use of the physical effects of communicating vessels. How does gravity get involved? How about liquids, which don’t mix? Is a static fluid always a good assumption?

Answer 1

In the days of ancient rome, the concept of communicating vessel is use in indoor plumbing by using aquifers and lead pipe. Water reach same level in all part of vessel regardless of lowest point in pipe.

Also in modern cities water tower are use as a communicating vessel for plumbing of water in city to distribute water to higher flower of building.

Effect of Gravity:- fluid level in communicating vessel is function pressure act on the free surface of fluid. Thus pressure act on the surface is depend on density of fluid, level of fluid in communicating vessel, and gravitational acceleration.

Hence the pressure is given as,

P=$\rho$gh

Where, $\rho$:- density of fluid, g:- gravitational acceleration, h:-height of fluid in communicating vessel, P= Pressure.

Thus height of fluid in communicating vessel is given as,

h = P ÷ $\rho$g

Thus we can say that, level of fluid in communicating vessel is inversely proportion to the gravity.

Liquid which don't mix:- If we use two different fluid of different specific gravity, then communicating vessel is not viewed as single vessel. The larger is the specific weight of the fluid, lower is the level of free surface of such fluid. The heights above horizontal plane, at which two fluids meet, is inversely proprtional to the specific weights.

Is static fluid is good assumption:- Fluid in static equilibrium must support it's own weight, hence static fluid is good assumption for the communicating vessel experiment.