Bernoulli's Principle & Fluid Flow
Squeeze a pipe and watch the fluid speed up while the pressure gauge drops.
Drag the pipe wall at the narrow section up or down to squeeze the flow, and watch speed rise while pressure drops.
About the Bernoulli's Principle & Fluid Flow
Free bernoulli's principle & fluid flow. Squeeze a pipe and watch the fluid speed up while the pressure gauge drops. Drag, change the sliders and see the result live. No sign-up, works on phone and computer. Built for physics, the bernoulli's principle & fluid flow runs instantly in your browser: change a setting or drag an object and the result updates at once, so you learn by trying things out rather than only reading about them.
Squeeze a pipe and watch the fluid speed up while the pressure gauge drops. Use it to explore physics ideas at your own pace, then check what you found against the key ideas further down this page.
How to use the Bernoulli's Principle & Fluid Flow
- Use the controls to change Flow rate, Throat width, Outlet height, Fluid. The simulation reacts instantly.
- Pick an option such as Water 1000, Oil 800, Honey-like 1400 to switch modes or load an example.
- Where you see a glowing handle, object, weight or atom, drag it with your mouse or finger. Everything responds in real time.
- Watch the readouts and graphs update as you experiment, and compare what you see with the key ideas below.
Things to try
- Squeeze the throat to 20% and read the pressure drop.
- Change to a denser fluid.
- Raise the outlet and see the pressure fall.
Key ideas you can learn
- Continuity: A₁v₁ = A₂v₂, so a narrow pipe means faster flow.
- Bernoulli: faster fluid has lower pressure.
- Raising the outlet costs pressure (ρgh).
- The pressure drop grows with the square of the speed.
Where this is used in the real world
Carburettors, spray bottles, aeroplane wings, medical flow meters and chimney draughts all use Bernoulli's principle.
Who is this simulation for?
Physics students in middle school, high school and first-year university, teachers who want a quick demonstration for the projector, and anyone revising for exams. It works well for flipped classrooms because students can explore before the lesson.
For teachers: project it on the board, let students predict what will happen, then run it together. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Venturi effect?
Fluid speeds up in a narrow section and its pressure falls.
Does Bernoulli's principle explain aeroplane lift?
It is part of it; faster air over the wing means lower pressure, together with the wing deflecting air downwards.
Is the Bernoulli's Principle & Fluid Flow free to use?
Yes. It is completely free, with no signup, no download and no ads inside the simulation. It runs in your web browser.
Does the Bernoulli's Principle & Fluid Flow work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It uses touch as well as the mouse, so you can drag objects with your finger. A larger screen makes the controls easier to see.