Laminar Flow

(noun)

Smooth flow of a fluid in a tube or pipe.

Related Terms

Examples of Laminar Flow in the following topics:

  • Viscosity

    • This is called laminar flow (also known as streamlined flow), and the velocity of the fluid's flow varies from close to zero near the pipe's boundaries to its greatest in the center.
    • where F is the force required to move the plate (at constant speed), A is the area of the plate, $\frac {dv_x} {dy}$is the change in laminar velocity with respect to the perpendicular distance to the plate (y-direction).
    • The term $\eta$ is called the viscosity, and it is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow.
    • When a fluid is less viscous, it flows more easily.
    • Velocity of a fluid's layers, or lamina, during smooth flow.

  • Osmotic Pressure

    • Osmosis is defined as the net flow or movement of solvent molecules through a semipermeable membrane through which solute molecules cannot pass.
    • If a solution consisting of both solute and solvent molecules is placed on one side of a membrane and pure solvent is placed on the other side, there is a net flow of solvent into the solution side of the membrane.
    • The height of the solution will continue to increase due to a net flow of solvent until the added pressure of the height will cause the flow of solution to stop.
    • Osmotic pressure is the pressure that needs to be applied to a solution to prevent the inward flow of water across a semipermeable membrane.

  • Conductors

    • A conductor is a material that is able to conduct electricity with minimal impedance to the electrical flow.
    • According to band theory, a conductor is simply a material that has its valence band and conduction band overlapping, allowing electrons to flow through the material with minimal applied voltage.
    • This flow of charge (measured in amperes) is what is referred to as electric current.
    • On the left, a conductor (described as a metal here) has its empty bands and filled bands overlapping, allowing excited electrons to flow through the empty band with little push (voltage).
    • Semiconductors and insulators have a greater and greater energetic difference between the valence band and the conduction bands, requiring a larger applied voltage in order for electrons to flow.

  • Voltaic Cells

    • The two electrodes must be electrically connected to each other, allowing for a flow of electrons that leave the metal of the anode and flow through this connection to the ions at the surface of the cathode.
    • This flow of electrons is an electrical current that can be used to do work, such as turn a motor or power a light.
    • When the circuit is complete, the current flows and the cell "produces" electrical energy.
    • A salt bridge is necessary to keep the charge flowing through the cell.

  • Electrochemical Cell Notation

    • When the anode and cathode are connected by a wire, electrons flow from anode to cathode.
    • The description of the oxidation reaction is first, and the reduction reaction is last; when you read it, your eyes move in the direction of electron flow.

  • Dry Cell Battery

    • A dry cell has the electrolyte immobilized as a paste, with only enough moisture in it to allow current to flow.
    • Chemical reactions occur in every part of the battery to allow for energy storage; the reactions can be described using balanced chemical equations that delineate the electron flow.

  • Electrolysis Stoichiometry

    • From the perspective of the voltage source and circuit outside the electrodes, the flow of electrons is generally described in terms of electrical current using the SI units of coulombs and amperes.
    • What mass of copper will be deposited if a current of 0.22 amp flows through the cell for 1.5 hours?

  • Free Energy and Cell Potential

    • This is the opposite of the cell potential, which is positive when electrons flow spontaneously through the electrochemical cell.
    • Electrons flow in the external circuit.

  • Heat and Work

    • When a high temperature body is brought into contact with a low temperature body, the temperatures equilibrate: there is heat flow from higher to lower temperature, like water flowing downhill, until the temperatures of the bodies are equivalent.

  • Predicting Spontaneous Direction of a Redox Reaction

    • The relative reactivities of different half-reactions can be compared to predict the direction of electron flow.
    • Predict the direction of electron flow in a redox reaction given the reduction potentials of the two half-reactions