How do you find the rate of flow?

To find the rate of flow, divide the volume of fluid by the time it takes to flow.

In more detail, the rate of flow is a measure of how much fluid passes through a point in a given period of time. It is often used in contexts like water flowing through a pipe or air moving through a ventilation system. The formula to calculate the rate of flow is:

\[ \text{Rate of Flow} = \frac{\text{Volume}}{\text{Time}} \]

Here, the volume is the amount of fluid, usually measured in litres (L) or cubic metres (m³), and the time is the duration over which the fluid flows, typically measured in seconds (s), minutes (min), or hours (h).

For example, if you have a hose that delivers 30 litres of water in 5 minutes, you can find the rate of flow by dividing the volume (30 litres) by the time (5 minutes):

\[ \text{Rate of Flow} = \frac{30 \text{ L}}{5 \text{ min}} = 6 \text{ L/min} \]

This means the hose delivers water at a rate of 6 litres per minute.

Understanding the rate of flow is important in various real-life applications, such as ensuring that water supply systems are efficient or that chemical reactions in a lab proceed at the correct rate. It also helps in analysing and solving problems related to fluid dynamics in physics and engineering.