SOLUTION: Water is flowing through a pipe at a speed of 2.7 m/s (labelled as v1 below). The pipe has a cross-sectional area of 0.02 m2. It then splits so that it flows through two identical

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Question 1129643: Water is flowing through a pipe at a speed of 2.7 m/s (labelled as v1 below). The pipe has a cross-sectional area of 0.02 m2. It then splits so that it flows through two identical pipes, each of which has a cross-sectional area of 0.038 m2. At what speed (in m/s) does the water flow through the larger pipes?
Hint: Don't let the fact that there are two pipes confuse you: think about what the 'effective' area is through which the water is now flowing. Use the continuity equation for incompressible fluids.

Answer by htmentor(1343) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
For incompressible fluid flow, A1*v1 = A2*v2, where A and v are the areas and velocities in the two pipes
v1 = 2.7 m/s
A1 = 0.02 m^2
A2 = 2*0.038 m^2 = 0.076 m^2
Thus v2 = 2.7*0.02/0.076 = 0.71 m/s