It is often said that electric current flows.

Is this
the only analogy between electric current and the
flow of a liquid? Investigate theoretically and
experimentally other analogies between these two
things.
Condition of the problem:
0 =
c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
z
j
y
j
x
j
z
y
x
Where j current density (it equals to a
charge, which is transferred through
unit of cross-section in time unit).
movement of some quantity of
substance in a space in time. :
0 =
c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
z y x
z
y
x
u

Value equals to liquid mass,

which is transferred through unit
of section in time unit.
u
The first Kirchgof's law (law of conservation of energy)
Electric current and a liquid flow.
Law of mass conservation:

+


+
movement of charged
particles (electrons or ions)
m q
Electric current and a liquid flow.
Ohm's law:
x
j
x
c
c
=

y
j
y
c
c
=

y
j
y
c
c
=

- electric potential,
- conductivity of given medium

Liquid
movement.
( ) t z y x , , ,
'
x
x
c
'
c
=

u
y
y
c
'
c
=

u
z
z
c
'
c
=

u
Components of velocity:
Current.
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
=
c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
z y x

0
2
2
2
2
2
2
=
c
'
c
+
c
'
c
+
c
'
c
z y x

Similarities:
.Electric potential is analogous to
potential of velocities .

.Value corresponds to value .

.Equipotential surfaces in electric
current (x, y, z)=const are
analogous to equipotential surfaces
in liquid flow (x, y, z)=const.

'

'

j
u
Determinate conditions.
1. Liquid flow should be irrotational.
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

c
c
=
z
v
y
v
y
z
x
2
1
e
0 =
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
'
c
c
c

|
.
|

\
|
c
'
c
c
c
y z z y

2. Mentoined formulas model fluid nonviscous flow.
Newtons formula:
n c
c
=
u
q o
t
where - dynamic (absolute) coefficient
of velocity;
- velocity gradient on normal to
ground, where stress acts;
v
n
c
c
Movement of liquid in a tube.
v
u
q
u l l
= = Re
Poiseuilles equation (11):
q
t

4
2 1
128
d
l
p p
V

=
where p - pressure in the given point of a tube;
V - discharge of liquid;
l - length of the corresponding section of a
tube.
Reynolds number:
For laminar flow Re
cr
Re
<
Critical Reynolds number is 2300.
2
2 1 2 1 2 1
4
d
l
S
l R
I

=
Corresponding express for the part of electric circuit:
p A A
Experimental setup
Pressure was determined by height of liquid
lifting in a glass tube. Reynolds number
calculated by experimental dates was not
higher than some hundreds. From this follows,
that we can consider flow as laminar.
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
H
,

m
m
.
L, mm.
0,04 0,05 0,06 0,07 0,08 0,09 0,10 0,11 0,12
0,02
0,04
0,06
0,08
0,10
0,12
0,14
d
p
/
d
l
,

r
e
l
.

u
n
.
dm/dt, rel. un.
Dependence of height of
liquid column in glass tube
on lenght of conductor L for
different liquid velocities.
Dependence of
ratio on
discharge of
liquid
dp
dl
Tubes with different diameters and
lengths.
Mariottes vessel.
This setup is guaranteed constant
pressure difference and, therefore,
constant discharge in the process of
experiment.
"Subcurcuit"
Tube 1
Tube 2
Series connection
Parallel connection
"Resistance"
Experimental setup
160
420
590
125
0,0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
1,2
1,4
experiment
theory
D
i
s
c
h
a
r
g
e

o
f

w
a
t
e
r

(
k
g
/
m
i
n
)
Pressure difference (atm)
The dependence of discharge on pressure difference
in the ends of one conductor.
Dependence of
resistance on
number parallel
tubes.
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6
0
10
20
30
40
50
experiment
theory
"
R
e
s
i
s
t
a
n
c
e
"

(
m
2
s
-
1
k
g
-
1
)
Length of pipe (m)
1 2 3 4
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
theory
experiment
"
R
e
s
i
s
t
a
n
c
e
"

(
m
2
s
-
1
k
g
-
1
)
Number of equal resistors
Dependence of
resistance on
length of tubes
(series
connection).
Bridge circuit
Condition of current absence
in a conductor R
5
:
4
3
2
1
R
R
R
R
=
Experimental setup.
Liquid in connection element
does not move, when lengths
of corresponding tubes are
proportional or equal.
Alternate current
Analogues to an induction coil and a condenser.
Condenser properties:
It doesnt let current pass, but collects
charge on its plates until breakdown.
Creates electrostatic field between
plates.
Charged condenser has energy.
Induction coil properties:
Coil prevents from sharp
change of electric current.
It also has energy if electric
current flows through it.
Field transistor
This element, depending on
potential of bibb, conduct or
not electrical current.
In the point A constant head
pressure is created.
Depending on the pressure
in the point B plunger let or
not pass water.
Oscillatory circuit.
Transistor plays a role of
feed-back. Current in the
induction coil corresponds to
the liquid movement in
section CD. Energy of
charged condenser is
replaced by potential energy
of liquid.

Logical elements:
Element And. Element Or. Xor element.
Only in the
presence of
overpressure in
each of cross-
sections 1, 2 liquid
flow is taken place.
Liquid will move
from point A to point
B in the presence
overpressure in one
or in both of the
cross-sections 1, 2.
Liquid moves from
point A to B in the
presence overpressure
only in one of cross-
sections 1, 2, not in
both.
In fact the flow of a liquid and electric
current are different. They are different in
their physical meaning at first. But if try we
can find out some similarities which appe-
ars after some analogues were made.