Does Pipe Diameter Affect Water Flow Rate?

[vachan]

Consider the following water circuit: water is continually pumped to high pressure by a pump, and then funnelled into a pipe that has lower pressure at its far end (else the water would not flow through the pipe) and back to the pump. Two such circuits are identical, except for one difference: the pipes in one circuit have a larger diameter than the pipes in the other circuit. Through which circuit is the flow of water greater?


Small pipe
Large pipe

If they didnt tell me about the velocity, how am i going to know about this??

 

[russ_watters]

I suppose this is homework? They do give you enough information to answer it. Hint: Velocity itself is not the critical issue.

 

[astrokreng]

it is important to have all the necessary information before making a conclusion or providing an answer. In this scenario, the flow of water would depend on the velocity of the water in each circuit. Without knowing the velocity, it is impossible to determine which circuit would have a greater flow of water. Additionally, other factors such as the length and material of the pipes could also affect the flow of water. Therefore, it is important to have a complete understanding of the system in order to accurately compare the flow of water in each circuit.