Fluid mechanics is a branch of science that specifically deals with the study of different types of forces and types of flow experienced within a fluid. These fluids comprise of air and water. In the contemporary world, sports have become an essential portion of the entertainment sector. The knowledge about fluid mechanics is an important tool for the design of instruments and facilities like rugby and golf balls, as they will be subjected to forces and flow due to air.
Effects of fluid mechanics can be clearly understood by analyzing the design of a ball used to play golf. The normal ball has dimples on its outer surface as a result of fluid mechanics effects. It has been practically proven that a golf ball with dimples will cover a longer distance in a very short period of time as opposed to the one with a smooth surface. This experiment was demonstrated by displacing the two types of balls and taking note of the time and distance covered. It was discovered that the ball with a smooth surface covered 150 yards while the other one covered 225 yards (Lynn, 2014). This variation can be explained by applying the knowledge of fluid mechanics. A similar scenario was verified using two cars having a smooth and dimpled surface. In this case, the car with a smooth surface covered 26 miles while the other one covered 29.6 miles (Lynn, 2014).
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I chose this video because it clearly demonstrates the flow of an object in a fluid. The smooth ball experiences laminar flow while the rough one experiences turbulent flow. From the video, it is crystal clear that laminar flow is characterized by a quick separation of the boundary layer while the opposite scenario happened on the ball with dimples (Lynn, 2014). The rate of separation of the boundary layer determines the distance and speed covered by the ball. The larger the delay, the faster and further the ball will move. The ball is, therefore, designed to increase the time taken for the boundary layer to separate.
Reference
Lynn, K. (2014).Fluids Golf ball Video. Retrieved From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvhEEB5gck8
