Question

Fluid Mechanics questions - Part (d) and (e). The first picture is the theoretical problem. 3. Theoretical Problem to solve Figure 1 shows a rhombus shaped wedge which is at an angle of attack, α, as shown. In your calculations, you should vary α using values of 0°.

Answer 1

To calculate the force on a square meter of sail, we can use Bernoulli's principle. By calculating the pressure difference between the front and back surfaces of the sail and multiplying it by the area of the sail, we can determine the force. Whether this force is effective for propelling a sailboat depends on factors such as the boat's mass and resistance to motion in the water.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the approximate force on a square meter of sail, we can use Bernoulli's principle. Bernoulli's principle states that in a fluid flow, there is an inverse relationship between the pressure and velocity of the fluid. The force on the sail can be calculated by multiplying the pressure difference between the front and back surfaces of the sail by the area of the sail:

F = (P1 - P2) * A

Where F is the force on the sail, P1 and P2 are the pressures on the front and back surfaces of the sail, and A is the area of the sail. Given the horizontal velocities of the wind on the front and back surfaces, we can calculate the pressures using Bernoulli's equation:

P1 + 0.5 * ρ * V1^2 = P2 + 0.5 * ρ * V2^2

Where ρ is the density of air and V1 and V2 are the velocities of the wind on the front and back surfaces of the sail. By substituting the given values, we can solve for the pressures and then calculate the force on the sail.

To determine whether this force is great enough to be effective for propelling a sailboat, we would need information about the mass of the sailboat and its resistance to motion in the water. If the force generated by the wind is greater than the resistance, then it would be effective for propelling the sailboat.