Fluid passing through a restrictor follows which principle or law?

The behavior of fluid passing through a restrictor is best described by Bernoulli's Principle. This principle states that in a fluid flow, an increase in the fluid's speed occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or potential energy.

When fluid moves through a restrictor, its cross-sectional area decreases, leading to an increase in fluid velocity due to the conservation of mass (continuity equation). According to Bernoulli's Principle, as the fluid speed increases while passing through the constricted section, the pressure within that section of the fluid decreases. This behavior is crucial in various applications, such as in design aspects involving flow control systems, where restrictors are commonly employed to regulate fluid dynamics effectively.

Understanding Bernoulli's Principle helps predict how changes in velocity and pressure will occur as fluid moves through different environments, which is essential for millwrights working with hydraulic and pneumatic systems.