Name : Rizky Ryan Kurniawan

NRP : 02111840000075
Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics I-
Post-Practicum Assignment

2. Experimental graph of torque against height of the water

Data acquired from the experiment are listed below :

Based on the data, torque developed at certain water level can be calculated by using torque
equilibrium formula, here is the example :
𝜏=𝐹𝑥𝑟
Where , F = gravity force due to weight (N)
r = distance of the weight to the point of rotation (m)
The balancing-weight used in this experiment has a mass of 0,4 kg, Therefore
W = m.g
𝑚
W = 0,4 kg 9,8 𝑠2

W = 3,924 N
The value of r is acquired by adding the value (r) measured in the experiment by 0,023 m
which is the distance of the edge of the balancing-weight to the centroid of the balancing-
weight
r (data number 5) = R + 0,023
1𝑚
r = 14,35 𝑐𝑚 + 0,023 𝑚
100 𝑐𝑚

r = 0,1665 m
Therefore , the experimental torque is
𝜏 = 3,924 𝑁 𝑥 0,1665 𝑚
𝜏 = 0,653 𝑁𝑚
By calculating all the torque value from the experiment, the graph of torque against height
can be plotted by using computer software

Figure 1
3. Comparison of theoretical graph against experimental graph

Figure 2
Based on Figure 2, it can be seen that both curves have a cube graphic shape. The
difference between the two graphs shows that at an height of 0 m to 0.02 m the graph between
the theoretical torque and the torque of the experiment is still quite coincide, this is because the
difference between the theoretical and experimental torque is still relatively small. While at an
height of 0.02 m to 0.11 m it appears that the theoretical torque value is always higher than the
experimental torque value. Based on the graph, the maximum torque value of the experiment
is 0.986 Nm at the water level of 0.11 m and the minimum torque of the experiment is 0.017
Nm at the water level of 0.01 m. While the theoretical maximum torque produced is 1.14 Nm
and a minimum torque of 0.11 Nm at an height of 0.01 m.
Theoretically, the value between the theoretical torque (in Section 4.3.1) and the torque
obtained based on the experimental load is supposed to be the same, this is because at the
beginning of the practicum counter-weight was used to balance the test pieces before being
affected by the fluid . Therefore the torque caused by (theoretical) hydrostatic pressure is
balanced by the torque generated from the load being shifted until the specimen returns
horizontally (𝜏 = 0).
Figure 2 shows that the two graphics have similarities in their profile but there is a
difference between the hydrostatic torque value and the torque by the experimental load. This
is due to uncertainties in measurement, the arrangement of the instrument scheme, the accuracy
of the measuring instrument and human error.