Water flows at a speed of 6 cm/s through a tube having a radius of 1 cm . The coefficient of viscosity of water at room temperature is 0.01 poise . Compute the Reynolds number and determine if the flow is steady.

Step-by-step solution

The Reynolds number is given by the formula: R_e = v D Given: Speed of water, v = 6 cm/s Radius of the tube, r = 1 cm Diameter , D = 2 cm Coefficient of viscosity, = 0.01 poise Density of water, = 1 g/cm ^3 Substituting the values into the formula: R_e = 1 6 2 0.01 = 1200 For flow through a pipe, if the Reynolds number is less than 2000 , the flow is considered steady (laminar). Since R_e = 1200 < 2000 , the flow is steady.