The Fluid Mechanics lab is marked with its own inherent ironies. It is the only lab which has an automated "fire alarm" (inspite of the it being virtually abundant in water supply), which rather be in the Thermodynamics lab (That we are pretty sure in case of fire, the authorities wont be able to significantly influence, and would be efficient only to panic and just complicate things further). The yellow paint marking a pathway right up to the exit is kinda analogous to the ones that light up the path to the doors in aircrafts (Dramatically pontificated by the air hostesses).
The experiments here are just an amalgamation of abrupt procedures, incorrect readings, subtle manipulations, and a lot of splattering water, which is not at all as merry as words make it sound. The water is beyond any scope of purification to make it suitable even for touching it. It is contaminated by an obsessive recycling of the same volume, in egregious numbers...
Our lab teacher is an over enthusuastic academic, whose temper drops from jolly to jeopardizeda handful of incomplete lab manuals later.
We, i.e. Kronos, Shashank Sriram (A.K.A Machi), and Me, were to tackle the Venturi meter and then the hallowed Orifice meter for the day's work. The venturimeter, after a few minor glitches, notwithstanding was finished with. Then we were to switch the same apparatus to an Orifice meter configuration. And then in moments of Machi's callousness and Kronos's perspicacity, the apparatus "breathed" its last for the day. Literally. The mercury column got infiltrated by air, bubbling OUT the mercury into the pipes, leading to the collection tank. On the base of the tank, below its rising water level, shone the glistening drops of quicksilver which weren't meant to tread so nether regions as these.
Our inefficacy in carrying out the second experiment was a vulgar attention seeker and the lab assistant was at our side in a matter of moments. In a determination to prove his familiarity with the apparatuses and their errors, he made minor changes to the set up (Which reverted it to the same mercury spitting monster KronoS had earlier created), and asked us to start the motor. With looks of "been-there-done-that", I pressed the green button, which completely sucked out the mercury from the right column and into the connecting water pipes, to the shock and dismay of the self contained hero of the day.
That declared the apparatus dead, until further notice, and called for immediate repair.
Humbly, and with looks of fake innocence and oblivion towards the Orifice meter's demise, we proceeded with the ritualistic acceptance of the teacher's disappointment with our not having completed graphs and calculations, perpetually.
Next lab, we take down another set up.
And im not suggesting sabotage.
PS : The dimensions of the Venturi meter tank is 600X600X600 mm^3 and not light years ^3, Since the "Vitals" printed on the side of the tank did not have dimensions given, we resorted to making our "appropriate contribution".
Exit : KronoS, Machi, Reaper.
R.I.P : Orifice Meter
>
2 comments:
Well, Jftr, That was no lab assistant, He was a M.Tech student doing a project under Uma Shankar, and was there to help us in the lab....
Which he did. :D
He was a delusional accomplice.
And what's in a name, for he would be just as ineffective if you call him by any other name...
Post a Comment