Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines MCQs 2026
80 questions with detailed answers · 28 from past papers · 8 quiz batches available
Choose a Quiz Batch. Each batch has 10 questions from this topic, in order. Take them one by one to work through all 80 MCQs. Login to save your scores and see your best per batch.
Read each question, think about the answer, then click Show Answer to reveal the correct option and explanation. Load 10 at a time so it stays manageable — perfect for one-topic study sessions on the bus or during a break.
- Q1medium
Non-Newtonian fluid example is
💡 Explanation:Non-Newtonian fluids have variable apparent viscosity with shear rate.
- Q2easy
Newton law of viscosity states shear stress is proportional to
💡 Explanation:τ = μ du/dy for Newtonian fluids.
- Q3Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Capillary rise in small tube is due to
💡 Explanation:Jurin height h = 2σ cos θ / (ρgr).
- Q4medium
Metacentric height GM positive indicates
💡 Explanation:Positive GM gives restoring couple when vessel heels.
- Q5easy
Buoyant force on submerged body equals
💡 Explanation:Archimedes principle: Fb = ρgVdisplaced.
- Q6Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSeasy
Hydrostatic pressure at depth h in liquid is
💡 Explanation:Pressure increases linearly with depth in incompressible static fluid.
- Q7easy
Pascal law in fluid statics states
💡 Explanation:Foundation of hydraulic jacks and force multiplication in enclosed fluids.
- Q8Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Energy grade line (EGL) includes
💡 Explanation:EGL = HGL + V²/2g represents total mechanical energy per unit weight.
- Q9medium
Hydraulic grade line (HGL) represents
💡 Explanation:HGL = z + p/(ρg); lies below EGL by velocity head V²/2g.
- Q10medium
Draft tube in reaction turbines serves to
💡 Explanation:Diffuser converts outlet velocity head to pressure below atmospheric at runner exit.
- Q11Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Kaplan turbine is suitable for
💡 Explanation:Adjustable-blade propeller-type turbine for low head hydro sites.
- Q12medium
Francis turbine is classified as
💡 Explanation:Francis runner has radial inlet and axial outlet; pressure drop occurs in runner passages.
- Q13easy
Gear pump belongs to category of
💡 Explanation:Intermeshing gears trap and transfer fixed volume of fluid each revolution.
- Q14Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Reciprocating pump delivers
💡 Explanation:Positive displacement gives high pressure capability with pulsating discharge.
- Q15medium
Multistage centrifugal pumps are used when
💡 Explanation:Stages in series add heads for boiler feed and high-rise water supply.
- Q16hard
Specific speed of a centrifugal pump indicates
💡 Explanation:Ns classifies pump as radial, mixed or axial flow based on N, Q, H.
- Q17Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Cavitation in pumps is indicated by
💡 Explanation:Vapor bubble collapse damages metal and reduces performance.
- Q18medium
NPSH available must exceed NPSH required to avoid
💡 Explanation:Insufficient suction head causes vapor bubbles forming and collapsing in the impeller.
- Q19easy
Minor losses in pipe systems are caused by
💡 Explanation:K-factor losses h = KV²/2g at fittings add to friction losses.
- Q20Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Moody diagram relates friction factor to
💡 Explanation:Moody chart plots f vs Re for various ε/D values.
- Q21hard
Friction factor for smooth pipes in turbulent region can be estimated by
💡 Explanation:Blasius f = 0.316/Re^0.25 for smooth turbulent pipe flow in moderate Re range.
- Q22medium
Darcy-Weisbach equation gives
💡 Explanation:hf = f(L/D)(V²/2g) where f is friction factor.
- Q23Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSeasy
Turbulent flow in pipes is characterized by
💡 Explanation:Turbulence has random velocity fluctuations enhancing mixing and wall shear.
- Q24medium
For laminar flow in a circular pipe, velocity profile is
💡 Explanation:Hagen-Poiseuille flow gives u = umax(1 − r²/R²) parabolic profile.
- Q25easy
Kinematic viscosity is defined as
💡 Explanation:ν = μ/ρ; unit m²/s (Stokes in CGS).
- Q26Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSeasy
Bernoulli equation for steady incompressible flow along a streamline states that
💡 Explanation:Bernoulli: p/ρ + V²/2 + gz = constant for ideal steady flow without shaft work or losses.
- Q27easy
Continuity equation for incompressible flow in a pipe is expressed as
💡 Explanation:Mass conservation gives discharge Q = AV constant for incompressible flow.
- Q28easy
Reynolds number Re is defined as
💡 Explanation:Re = inertial forces / viscous forces; Re = ρVD/μ for internal pipe flow.
- Q29Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSeasy
Dynamic viscosity unit in SI is
💡 Explanation:Dynamic viscosity μ has SI unit Pa·s; kinematic viscosity ν = μ/ρ in m²/s.
- Q30easy
Flow in a smooth pipe is generally laminar when Reynolds number is below
💡 Explanation:Critical Re for pipe flow is about 2300; above 4000 flow is usually fully turbulent.
- Q31medium
Boundary layer thickness increases along a flat plate because
💡 Explanation:Growing boundary layer results from momentum transfer from free stream toward the wall.
- Q32Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSeasy
Centrifugal pump imparts energy to fluid mainly by
💡 Explanation:Impeller raises velocity; volute/diffuser converts velocity head to pressure head.
- Q33medium
Pelton wheel is an example of
💡 Explanation:Pelton uses high-velocity jets striking buckets; pressure drop occurs mainly in the nozzle.
- Q34hard
Hydraulic ram utilizes
💡 Explanation:Ram uses kinetic energy of flowing water and valve closure shock to lift water.
- Q35Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSeasy
Simple U-tube manometer measures
💡 Explanation:Δp = ρgh for manometer fluid column height h.
- Q36easy
Venturi meter measures flow rate based on
💡 Explanation:Bernoulli effect: throat velocity increases and pressure drops; Δp relates to Q.
- Q37Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Orifice meter causes greater permanent pressure loss than venturi because
💡 Explanation:Sudden contraction and lack of diffuser cause irrecoverable head loss in orifice.
- Q38Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTShard
Stokes law gives drag on small sphere as
💡 Explanation:Valid for Re < 1; used in viscometry and sedimentation.
- Q39medium
Terminal velocity of falling particle occurs when
💡 Explanation:Equilibrium of forces gives constant maximum settling speed.
- Q40medium
Pitot tube measures
💡 Explanation:From stagnation and static pressure, V = √(2Δp/ρ).
- Q41Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Coefficient of discharge for venturi is typically
💡 Explanation:Gradual area change gives lower separation and Cd closer to unity.
- Q42easy
Rotameter measures flow using
💡 Explanation:Variable area meter: float rises until annular area balances drag and weight.
- Q43hard
Weir flow measurement for rectangular sharp-crested weir varies discharge approximately as
💡 Explanation:Francis formula Q = (2/3)Cdb√(2g)H^(3/2) for rectangular weir.
- Q44Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Chezy and Manning formulas estimate
💡 Explanation:Open channel uniform flow based on hydraulic radius and slope.
- Q45easy
Hydraulic radius R is defined as
💡 Explanation:R = A/P used in open channel and pipe flow calculations.
- Q46medium
Froude number characterizes
💡 Explanation:Fr = V/√(gL); Fr = 1 is critical flow.
- Q47Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTShard
Critical depth in rectangular channel occurs when
💡 Explanation:At critical depth specific energy is minimum for given discharge.
- Q48medium
Hydraulic jump occurs in
💡 Explanation:Rapid increase in depth dissipates energy with turbulence.
- Q49easy
Surface tension σ has unit
💡 Explanation:Surface tension is force per unit length acting at liquid interface.
- Q50Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Vapor pressure of liquid is important in pumps because
💡 Explanation:When local pressure drops below vapor pressure, cavitation begins.
- Q51hard
Head developed by centrifugal pump for given impeller speed and diameter is independent of
💡 Explanation:Same pump develops same head in meters; pressure rise Δp = ρgH depends on density.
- Q52Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Affinity laws for pumps state flow rate varies with speed as
💡 Explanation:Pump laws: Q ∝ N, H ∝ N², Power ∝ N³ for same pump.
- Q53medium
System curve for pipe network intersects pump curve at
💡 Explanation:Intersection gives operating Q and H where pump and system losses balance.
- Q54hard
Water hammer pressure surge depends on
💡 Explanation:Δp = ρaΔV for rapid valve closure; a is acoustic wave speed in liquid.
- Q55Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Surge tank in hydro penstock reduces
💡 Explanation:Tank absorbs transient flow variations protecting conduit from excessive pressure.
- Q56medium
Impulse turbine runner operates in
💡 Explanation:Jet expands to atmospheric; buckets deflect water on impulse principle.
- Q57hard
Degree of reaction for turbine is ratio of
💡 Explanation:R = (h1−h2)/(h1−h3) indicates fraction of energy converted in runner.
- Q58Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTShard
Cavitation parameter σ for turbines relates to
💡 Explanation:Adequate sigma prevents turbine cavitation at runner outlet.
- Q59medium
Hydraulic efficiency of turbine is
💡 Explanation:ηh accounts for hydraulic losses in turbine passages.
- Q60medium
Inverted U-tube manometer is used for
💡 Explanation:Prevents manometer liquid from entering gas lines; suited for low Δp.
- Q61Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSeasy
Barometer measures
💡 Explanation:Mercury barometer column height corresponds to atmospheric pressure.
- Q62easy
Gauge pressure equals
💡 Explanation:pgauge = pabs − patm; vacuum is below atmospheric.
- Q63easy
Steady flow means
💡 Explanation:Steady: partial derivatives with respect to time are zero at a fixed point.
- Q64Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Uniform flow in open channel implies
💡 Explanation:Uniform: cross-section properties unchanged with distance at steady state.
- Q65easy
Streamline is a line
💡 Explanation:In steady flow streamlines coincide with particle paths.
- Q66medium
Path line of fluid particle is
💡 Explanation:Path line shows history of single particle motion.
- Q67Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Streak line is
💡 Explanation:Streak line is what dye visualization shows in flow.
- Q68hard
Euler equation along streamline for inviscid flow relates
💡 Explanation:dp/ρ + V dV + g dz = 0 for steady inviscid flow.
- Q69hard
Navier-Stokes equations include
💡 Explanation:NS equations add viscous diffusion to Euler momentum equation.
- Q70Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Transition from laminar to turbulent pipe flow depends on
💡 Explanation:Re > 4000 typically turbulent; roughness and disturbances affect transition.
- Q71medium
Hydraulic jump energy loss appears as
💡 Explanation:Jump converts kinetic energy of supercritical flow to internal energy.
- Q72Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSmedium
Torricelli theorem gives exit velocity from tank as
💡 Explanation:Ideal Torricelli: V = √(2gh) from energy balance with free surface.
- Q73hard
Coefficient of velocity Cv for orifice is ratio of
💡 Explanation:Cv accounts for vena contracta and velocity reduction.
- Q74hard
Coefficient of contraction Cc is ratio of
💡 Explanation:Cc < 1 due to jet contraction downstream of sharp orifice.
- Q75Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTShard
Cd for orifice equals approximately
💡 Explanation:Discharge coefficient combines velocity and contraction effects.
- Q76medium
Blower differs from compressor in that blower provides
💡 Explanation:Fans and blowers handle large volumes at low Δp; compressors higher ratio.
- Q77medium
Axial flow pump is preferred when
💡 Explanation:Propeller-type impeller for irrigation and cooling water circulation.
- Q78Past Paper · PPSC/FPSC/NTSeasy
Foot valve on pump suction line prevents
💡 Explanation:One-way valve keeps suction line filled with liquid.
- Q79easy
Priming of centrifugal pump is necessary because
💡 Explanation:Without liquid, impeller cannot create sufficient vacuum to lift air.
- Q80easy
Differential manometer connected across venturi throat and inlet measures
💡 Explanation:Manometer deflection with ρ and g gives Δp for venturi/orifice flow equation.