Question

The river narrows at a rapids from a width of 12 m to a width of only 5.8 m. The depth of the river before the rapids is 2.7 m; the depth in the rapids is 0.85m.Find the speed of water flowing in the rapids, given that its speed before the rapids is 1.2 m/s. Assume the river has a rectangular cross section.

Answer 1

7.89 m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

Given that

Width of the river, b1 = 12 m

Width of the river, b2 = 5.8 m

Depth of the river, d1 = 2.7 m

Depth of the river, d2 = 0.85 m

Speed of the river, v1 = 1.2 m/s

Speed of the river, v2 = ?

Area of the river before the rapid, a1 = 12 * 2.7 = 32.4 m²

Area of the river after the rapid, a2 = 5.8 * 0.85 = 4.93 m²

To solve this question, we use a relation between the speed of the river and the volume of the river. We say,

Area1 * velocity1 = Area2 * velocity2, and when we substitute the values for each other we have

32.4 * 1.2 = 4.93 * v2

38.88 = 4.93v2

v2 = 38.88 / 4.93

v2 = 7.89 m/s

Therefore, the speed of the river after the rapid is 7.89 m/s