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Applications of Bernoulli
Intermediate
Aerofoil lift, atomisers and Venturi meters.
bernoulliAerofoil lift, atomisers (perfume sprayers), Venturi meters, carburettors, curving balls, and chimney draught.
A fast wind above a roof lowers pressure and may lift it.
Don't over-simplify lift to equal-transit-time.
In more detail
Bernoulli's principle explains many everyday effects, such as curtains drawn into a window and the lift on a spinning ball. Each uses the trade-off between pressure and speed.
Real-world uses
- Spray guns and paint sprayers use fast air to draw paint.
- Shower curtains billow inward as water and air move.
- Perfume atomisers, carburettors and Venturi flow meters all use the low pressure in fast-moving fluid.
Open the interactive lesson, with simulation and quiz →
Frequently asked questions
Why does a curtain move inward?
Air moves faster outside the curtain, so the pressure there is lower.
Does this work for all flows?
It applies to steady, incompressible and non-viscous flow along a streamline.
How does a spray atomiser use Bernoulli?
Blowing air across a tube lowers the pressure at its top, so liquid is drawn up and atomised into the air stream.
Related topics in Fluids & Elasticity
Streamline and turbulent flow · Equation of continuity · Bernoulli's principle · Torricelli's theorem · Venturi meter · Pitot tube