MEMORANDUM

TO: AHMED ASSEM

FROM: DEVON HILLMAN (9)
PETE 311 503
SUBJECT: LAB 7: SETTLING VELOCITY MEASUREMENT
DATE: OCTOBER 16, 2013

In this laboratory experiment, our main objective was to obtain the settling velocity of different particles
and then compare the results.




On my honor as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work.


[Signature of student]

Attachment(s): Lab report

Title: Lab 7: Settling Velocity Measurement

For this experiment, we found the settling velocity of particles as they traveled through a fluid. Settling
velocity is defined as the velocity of the particle as it falls through a fluid. Settling velocity depends on
the size and shape as well as the difference between the particles density and the fluids density. To begin
our experiment we found the diameter of the glass beads and the sandstone particles. We used a caliper to
measure the glass beads diameter and the diameter of the sand particles was found using Equation 1.
These two values are shown below in Table 1.

D
avg
= (D
30
+ D
40
)/2 .... (1)
D
avg
= (.6 mm + .425 mm)/2 = .5125 mm = .05125 cm

The density of the glass beads, sandstone particles, mineral oil, and water were all determined in a
previous lab as well as the viscosity of the mineral oil and water. All of these values are shown below in
Table 1.

Table 1: Properties of water, mineral oil, the sand particles, and the glass beads.
Substance Density () Viscosity () Diameter (D)
Water .997 g/cm
3
.01 poise
Mineral Oil .85 g/cm
3
.2 poise
Sand Particles 2.65 g/cm
3
.05125 cm
Glass Beads 2.43 g/cm
3
.201 cm

For the first part of this experiment, we used the information in Table 1 and Stokes law (Equation 2) to
calculate the settling velocity. The settling velocity for sand particles and glass beads in water and
mineral oil are shown in Table 2 below. Stokes Law makes it very simple to find the settling velocity for
a particles in a fluid but it may only be applied unless the Reynolds number is less than .5. We found the
Reynolds number for each settling velocity using Equation 3. These values are also shown in Table 2
below.
V
s
=

..... (2)
V
s
=
-

= 23.662 cm/s
R
D
=

. (3)
R
D
=

= 121.267

Table 2: Settling velocities and Reynolds numbers for sandstone particles and glass beads.
Sandstone Particles Glass Beads
V
w
23.662 cm/s V
w
315.526 cm/s
V
o
1.288 cm/s V
o
17.395 cm/s
Re
w
121.267 Re
w
6342.073
Re
o
.33 Re
o
17.482

For the second part of this experiment, we measured the settling velocity using large graduated cylinders
filled with mineral oil and water. We took several measurements of the time it took for the glass beads
and sandstone particles to reach from the top to the bottom of the graduated cylinder. For the sandstone
particles and glass beads in mineral oil, the height of the graduated cylinder was 36 cm. For the
sandstone particles and glass beads in water, the height of the graduated cylinder was 46.5 cm. The
settling velocities were found using Equation 4, and are shown in Table 3 below.

V
s
= h/t .. (4)
V
s
= 46.5/1.519 = 30.612 cm/s


Table 3: Settling velocities for sandstone particles and glass beads.
Glass Beads Sandstone Particles
Time Trial Water (s) Oil Trial 1 (s) Oil Trial 2 (s) Water (s) Oil Trial 1 (s) Oil Trial 2 (s)
1 1.52 3.41 3.58 5.77
2 1.56 3.47 3.60 5.88
3 1.47 3.47 3.54 6.24
4 1.59 3.32 3.58 6.83
5 1.51 3.59 3.60 6.59
6 1.40 3.44 3.56 5.83
7 1.54 3.54 3.59
8 1.50 3.51 3.62
9 1.57 3.37 3.67
10 1.53 3.49 3.58
Ave. Time 1.519 3.461 3.592 6.19 24.62 31.6
V
s
30.612 cm/s 10.402 cm/s 10.022 cm/s 7.512 cm/s 1.462 cm/s 1.139 cm/s

Conclusion
In summary, from this lab I learned how to properly use the Stokes Law and Reynolds number equations.
Stokes Law can only be used when the Reynolds number is below .5 meaning that Stokes Law can only
be used when the flow is laminar. The only settling velocity that was valid with Stokes Law in this
experiment was with the sandstone particles in the mineral oil. The settling velocity calculated in the first
part of this experiment for the sandstone particles in mineral oil was very close to the values calculated in
the second part of this experiment. The other settling velocities found in the first part of the experiment
varied tremendously from the settling velocities calculated in the second part of the experiment. This
supports the Reynolds numbers calculated for the settling velocities in part one. In addition, the method
used in the second part of this experiment is more accurate because of the possibility to take the average
time due to multiple time trials. Errors that could have occurred in this lab could be attributed to the
starting and the stopping of the stopwatches during time taking in the second part of this experiment.