Question

Explain the term ‘laminar flow’. Is the velocity of molecules same in all the layers in laminar flow? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

When a liquid flows over a fixed surface, the layer of molecules which is in immediate contact with the surface is stationary. The velocity of upper layers increases as the distance of layers from the fixed layer increases.

This type of flow in which there is a regular gradation of velocity in passing from one layer to the next is called laminar flow.


In laminar flow, the velocity of molecules is not the same in all the layers because every layer offers some resistance or friction to the layer immediately below it.