A PVC pipe of 100 mm in diameter and 70 cm in length constituted a water reservoir whose lateral flow dynamics, through six holes of different diameters, were filmed and analyzed frame by frame. A comparison between observed and predicted flows for four different theoretical descriptions was made. In addition to the ideal description, three models that aimed to consider the viscous effects were compared with the real flow: (i) with constant viscosity over time; (ii) with a constant term and an additional viscosity term proportional to the flow velocity; (iii) with a constant term and an additional viscosity term proportional to the square of the flow velocity. The model that best fitted the experimental curves was (iii). Because it is a simple and inexpensive experience, this comparison between models can enrich discussions in a teaching environment by bringing to attention topics such as the validity and usefulness of an ideal model, numerical and analytical tools for solving differential equations, curve fitting theoretical to experimental data, among others. It is hoped that this work can serve as an aid to the qualitative and quantitative development of the theme of lateral flow of fluids.
Keywords:
Viscosity effects; theoretical modeling; theory-practice comparison; Tracker software
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