12–30
Solution A hand-held bicycle pump with a liquid reservoir is used as an atomizer by forcing air at a high velocity
through a small hole. We are to explain how the liquid gets sucked up the tube.
Assumptions 1 The flows of air and water are steady and nearly incompressible. 2 Air is an ideal gas. 3 The liquid
reservoir is open to the atmosphere. 4 The device is held horizontally. 5 The water velocity through the tube is low (the
water in the tube is nearly hydrostatic).
Analysis At first glance, we are tempted to use the Bernoulli
equation, thinking that the pressure in the air jet would be lower than
atmospheric due to its high speed. However, as stated in the problem
statement, the pressure through an incompressible jet exposed to the
atmosphere is nearly atmospheric pressure everywhere. Thus, in the
absence of the tube, the pressure in the air jet just above the tube