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Difficulty: MediumFluid Dynamics and Bernoulli's Principle

When a steady flow of water moves from a wide horizontal pipe into a narrower section, the water's velocity increases, causing the static pressure against the walls of the narrow section to be higher than in the wider section.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False
The statement is false because Bernoulli's principle dictates that as the velocity of a horizontal fluid flow increases (which it must do when entering a narrower pipe to maintain flow rate), its static pressure decreases. Therefore, the pressure against the walls is lower, not higher, in the narrow section.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the change in fluid velocity.
The water's velocity increases as it enters the narrow section.
The principle of continuity states that for an incompressible fluid, the flow rate must remain constant; thus, a smaller cross-sectional area requires a higher velocity.
2
Relate the change in velocity to static pressure.
The static pressure in the narrow section decreases.
Bernoulli's principle states that in a steady, horizontal fluid flow, an increase in fluid velocity results in a decrease in static pressure because total energy is conserved.
3
Evaluate the original statement.
The statement is false.
The statement incorrectly claims that the static pressure would be higher in the narrow section, when in fact it is lower.

Key Concept

Bernoulli's Principle and Fluid Continuity
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Topics

Fluid Dynamics and Bernoulli's Principle

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