A 5.0-m-diameter solid aluminum sphere is launched into space. By how much does its diameter increase? Give your answer in μm.
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19. Fluid Mechanics
Density
Problem 62
Textbook Question
Air flows through the tube shown in FIGURE P14.62 at a rate of 1200 cm³/s. Assume that air is an ideal fluid. What is the height h of mercury in the right side of the U-tube?


1
Step 1: Apply the principle of conservation of mass (continuity equation) to the air flow through the tube. The continuity equation states that the mass flow rate is constant, so the product of the cross-sectional area and velocity at one point equals the product at another point. Use the formula: , where is the cross-sectional area and is the velocity.
Step 2: Calculate the cross-sectional areas of the two sections of the tube using the formula for the area of a circle: . For the first section, the radius is 1.5 mm (convert to cm: 0.15 cm), and for the second section, the radius is 3.5 cm.
Step 3: Use the continuity equation to find the velocity of air in each section of the tube. The flow rate is given as 1200 cm³/s, so the velocity can be calculated using , where is the flow rate and is the cross-sectional area.
Step 4: Apply Bernoulli's equation to relate the pressures in the two sections of the tube. Bernoulli's equation is given as: , where is pressure, is the density of air, and is velocity.
Step 5: Relate the pressure difference to the height difference in the mercury column using the hydrostatic pressure formula: , where is the pressure difference, is the density of mercury, is the acceleration due to gravity, and is the height difference. Solve for .

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Bernoulli's Principle
Bernoulli's Principle states that in a flowing fluid, an increase in the fluid's speed occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or potential energy. This principle is crucial for understanding how the velocity of air flowing through the tube affects the pressure difference between the two sides of the U-tube, ultimately influencing the height of the mercury column.
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Continuity Equation
The Continuity Equation is based on the principle of conservation of mass, which states that for an incompressible fluid, the mass flow rate must remain constant from one cross-section of a tube to another. In this scenario, it helps determine the relationship between the cross-sectional areas and velocities of air at different points in the tube, which is essential for calculating the pressure difference.
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Hydrostatic Pressure
Hydrostatic Pressure refers to the pressure exerted by a fluid at rest due to the weight of the fluid above it. In the context of the U-tube, the height difference of the mercury column (Δh) is directly related to the hydrostatic pressure created by the air flow, allowing us to calculate the height of mercury based on the pressure difference established by the flowing air.
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