What is Viscosity?

Most fluids offer some resistance to motion, and we call this resistance “viscosity.” Viscosity
arises when there is relative motion between layers of the fluid. More precisely, it measures
resistance to flow arising due to the internal friction
between the fluid layers as they slip past one another
when fluid flows. Viscosity can also be thought of as
a measure of a fluid’s thickness or its resistance to
objects passing through it. The Viscosity of a fluid
described as the resistance of liquid. For example
liquids like water, alcohol, petrol and more flow freely
and faster and have low viscosity than those that
flow slowly like glycerin solution, honey, and oil. This
is because of its physical property and is called
viscosity. In simple words, it explains the fluid’s flow
resistance.

A fluid with large viscosity resists motion because its

strong intermolecular forces give it a lot of internal
friction, resisting the movement of layers past one
another. On the contrary, a fluid with low viscosity
flows easily because its molecular makeup results in
very little friction when it is in motion. Gases also exhibit viscosity, but it is harder to notice in
ordinary circumstances.

Viscosity Definition
The definition of viscosity is as follows:

Viscosity is a measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow.

The SI unit of viscosity is poiseiulle (PI). Its other units are newton-second per square metre
(N s m-2) or pascal-second (Pa s.) The dimensional formula of viscosity is [ML-1T-1].
The viscosity of liquids decreases rapidly with an increase in temperature, and the viscosity
of gases increases with an increase in temperature. Thus, upon heating, liquids flow more
easily, whereas gases flow more slowly. Also, viscosity does not change as the amount of
matter changes, therefore it is an intensive property.

How to Calculate Viscosity?

The viscosity of a fluid is measured in terms of the ratio of its shearing stress (if the direction
of external force on an object is parallel to the plane of an object, then the deformation will
be along that plane, and the stress on the object will be shear stress) to its velocity gradient
(the difference between the adjacent layers of a fluid). If we drop a sphere into a fluid, we
can calculate the viscosity using the formula specified below:

η= 2ga2(△ρ)/ 9v

In this formula,

η = viscosity (represented by the symbol η or “eta”)

Δρ = difference in the density of the fluid and the

sphere tested

a = radius of the sphere

g = acceleration due to gravity

v = velocity of the sphere

We can, in turn, calculate v as the distance travelled by the sphere per unit time.

We measure viscosity in Pascal seconds that is Pa s. From the formula mentioned above, it
is quite evident that if the velocity of the sphere increases, the viscosity will be more.
Furthermore, the more viscous a fluid is, the more resistance shall it offer to any object
flowing or moving inside it. The viscosity of water is 0.001 Pa s, that of motor oil is 1, and
that of air is 0.000019 Pa s. It is also essential to make a point of the fact that in the case of
gases, with the increase in the temperature, the viscosity will also increase. On the other
hand, in the case of liquids, the viscosity shall decrease as the temperature increases.
SI Unit of Viscosity
Pascal seconds (Pa s) is the SI unit of dynamic or absolute viscosity.

We know that Pa is the SI unit of pressure.

Pressure = Pa = Force/Area

Force = Mass * Acceleration

Force = kg ms⁻²

Area = m²

By substituting these values in the formula of pressure, we get:

Pressure = Pa = kg ms⁻²/ m²

Pressure = Pa = kg m⁻¹s⁻²

So, Pa s = kg m⁻¹s⁻² s = kg m⁻¹s⁻¹

Therefore, the SI unit of dynamic or absolute viscosity = Pa s = kg m⁻¹s⁻¹

Now, Kinematic viscosity = dynamic or absolute viscosity/density and density = mass/volume

= kg m⁻³

So, kinematic viscosity = kg m⁻¹s⁻¹/ kg m⁻³ = m²s⁻¹

So, the SI unit of kinematic viscosity = m²s⁻¹

CGS Unit of Viscosity

Poise (P) is the CGS unit of dynamic or absolute viscosity, named in honour of Jean Léonard
Marie Poiseuille, a French physiologist. Poise (P) is particularly used in ASTM standards as
centipoises (cP).

Stokes (St) is the CGS unit of kinematic viscosity, named after Sir George Gabriel Stokes, an
Irish physicist and mathematician. The unit centistokes (CST) also has its uses in various
fields.
Coefficient of viscosity

When liquid flows over a flat surface, the liquid layer in contact with the fixed surface does
not move. Higher layers move forward with increasing velocity. Due to relative motion, a
backward dragging force F acts tangentially to every layer. This force is proportional to the
speed (v) of the layer, the area (A) of the layer and inversely proportional to their separation
(x). Combining these factors we have the following:

F=nA (v/x)

In the equation, the constant of proportionality (n) is called the coefficient of viscosity, which
varies for every fluid.

What is Stoke’s Law?

Stoke’s Law is a mathematical equation that expresses

the settling velocities of the small spherical particles in a
fluid medium. The law is derived considering the forces
acting on a particular particle as it sinks through the
liquid column under the influence of gravity. The force
that retards a sphere moving through a viscous fluid is
directly proportional to the velocity and the radius of the
sphere, and the fluid’s viscosity.
Terminal Velocity Formula
In the case of raindrops, initially, it is due to gravity that it accelerates. As the velocity
increases, the retarding force also increases. Finally, when viscous force and the buoyant
force is equal to the force due to gravity, the net force becomes zero, and so it does the
acceleration. The raindrop then falls with a constant velocity, known as terminal velocity.
Thus, in equilibrium, the terminal
velocity vt is given by the equation:

v=2(ρ−σ)r2g / 9η

ρ and σ are sphere and fluid mass

densities, respectively.

From the equation above, we can

infer that the terminal velocity
depends on the square of the radius
of the sphere and is inversely
proportional to the viscosity of the
medium.

Viscosity Types
Viscosity is the measure of fluid’s friction to its flow. There are two ways to measure the
fluid’s viscosity as follows:
Dynamic Viscosity (Absolute Viscosity)

Kinematic Viscosity
One way is to measure the fluid’s resistance to flow when an external force is applied. This
is known as Dynamic Viscosity. And the other way is to measure the resistive flow of a fluid
under the weight of gravity. We call this measure of fluid viscosity kinematic viscosity.

Many are confused between the two viscosity measures and consider them to be one and
the same. In reality, they have significant differences between them. For a few applications,
kinematic viscosity is more useful than absolute or dynamic viscosity.

Unit of Coefficient of Viscosity

The centimetre-gram-second or CGS unit of coefficient of viscosity, η is

dyne-sec/ cm2 which is equal to Poise.

where one poise is exactly 0.1 Pa·s.

The meter-kilogram-second or MKS unit is: Kilogram per meter per second or

Kg m-1 s-1.

Coefficient of Viscosity Unit and Dimension

Since, the formula for coefficient of viscosity is given by,

η = F . d/ A .ⅴ = MLT−2 . L / L2 . LT −1

On solving we get,
η = ML-1T-1
Why Viscosity Is Important in Daily Life
While viscosity may seem of minor importance in daily life, it can actually
be very important in many different fields. For example:

Lubrication in vehicles:

When you put oil into your car or truck, you

should be aware of its viscosity. That's
because viscosity affects friction, and friction,
in turn, affects heat. In addition, viscosity also
affects the rate of oil consumption and the
ease with which your vehicle will start in hot or
cold conditions. Some oils have a more stable
viscosity, while others react to heat or cold; if
your oil's viscosity index is low, it may become
thinner as it heats, which can cause problems
as you operate your car on a hot summer's day.

Cooking:

Viscosity plays a significant role in the preparation and serving of food. Cooking oils may or
may not change viscosity as they heat, while many
become much more viscous as they cool. Fats, which
are moderately viscous when heated, become solid
when chilled. Different cuisines also rely on the
viscosity of sauces, soups, and stews. A thick potato
and leek soup, for example, when it is less viscous,
becomes French vichyssoise. Some viscous fluids
add texture to foods; honey, for example, is quite
viscous and can change the "mouth feel" of a dish.

Manufacturing:

Manufacturing equipment requires appropriate lubrication

to run smoothly. Lubricants that are too viscous can jam
and clog pipelines. Lubricants that are too thin provide too
little protection for moving parts.
Medicine:

Viscosity can be of critical importance in medicine as fluids are introduced into

the body intravenously. Blood viscosity is a major issue: blood that is too viscous
can form dangerous internal clots, while blood that is too thin will not clot; this can
lead to dangerous blood loss and even death.

Daily Life Examples

1. Pouring water (low viscosity) is easier than pouring honey (high viscosity).
2. Ketchup (around 50,000 cP) flows slowly due to its high viscosity.
3. Motor oil (around 100 cP) has higher viscosity than gasoline (around 0.5 cP).
4. Pancake syrup (around 1500 cP) is thicker and more viscous than water.
5. Shampoo (around 1000 cP) has moderate viscosity, making it flow smoothly.
6. Honey (around 10,000 cP) is much more viscous than olive oil (around 80 cP).
7. Blood (around 4.5 cP) has lower viscosity than honey but higher than water.
AIM:
To compare the viscosity of different fluids at a given temperature.

APPARATUS:
1. Meter high, 5cm broad cylindrical glass tube

2. Meter scale alongside tube

3. High density carbon steel balls

4. Screw gauge

5. Stop watch

6. String

7. Fluids to check viscosity

THEORY:
η = 2(ρ−σ)r2g / 9v
where,
η= coefficient of viscosity
ρ= density of steel = 7.1 gcm-3
σ= density of viscous liquid
σg (for glycerin) = 1.26 g/cc
σo (for white oil) = 0.91g/cc
v= terminal velocity
r= radius

PROCEDURE:
1. 500ml of the oil was weighed and the density was found out.

2. The jar was cleaned and filled with the motor oil up to a 97 cm marker.

3. Two loops of string were tied around the lower part of the glass tube, 30 cm apart. One at
50cm and the other at 20cm.
4. Clean the glass jar and fill it with transparent viscous liquid.
 5. The vertical scale along the height of the jar must be clearly visible to note the least count.

6. Check the tight spring of the stopwatch and also record the least count and zero error.

7. Record the least count and zero error of the screw gauge.

8. Determine the radius of the ball.

9. Gently drop the ball in the liquid. Initially, the ball falls with an accelerated velocity until it
reaches one-third height of the liquid. Then it falls with uniform terminal velocity.

10. As the ball reaches some convenient division, start the stopwatch to note its fall. As the
ball reaches the convenient lowest division, stop the stopwatch.

11. Record the time taken by the ball.

12. Repeat steps 6-10 for more readings.

13. Record the temperature of the liquid.

14. Record the observations.

15. Repeat the same procedure for glycerine.

OBSERVATIONS
Pitch of the screw gauge = 1mm

Number of divisions on the circular scale=100

Least count of screw gauge (L.C.)= 0.01mm

Zero error of screw gauge =0

Displacement = 50-20 = 30 cm

TERMINAL VELOCITY OF GLYCERIN:

S.NO DIAMETER RADIUS MEAN Velocity MEAN
MSR CSR r2 TIME
(cm) (r) R2 (v) V
(cm) (cm) (cm) (s) (cm/s)
(cm) (cm) (cm/s)

1. 2 10 2.10 1.05 1.10 3.97 7.55

2. 2 13 2.13 1.06 1.12 1.10 3.82 7.85 7.73

3. 2 11 2.11 1.05 1.10 3.84 7.81

4. 4 69 4.69 2.34 5.47 2.03 14.77

5. 4 72 4.72 2.36 5.56 5.48 2.15 13.95 14.49

6. 4 67 4.67 2.33 5.42 2.03 14.77

7. 5 28 5.28 2.64 6.96 1.41 21.27

8. 5 24 5.24 2.62 6.86 6.87 1.56 19.23 19.86

9. 5 23 5.23 2.61 6.81 1.57 19.10

TERMINAL VELOCITY OF WHITE OIL:

S.NO MSR CSR DIAMETER RADIUS r2 MEAN TIME Velocity MEAN

(cm) (r) R2 (v) V
(cm) (cm) (cm) (s) (cm/s)
(cm) (cm) (cm/s)

1. 2 13 2.13 1.06 1.12 0.87 34.48

2. 2 12 2.12 1.06 1.12 1.12 0.96 31.25 35.79

3. 2 14 2.14 1.07 1.14 0.72 41.66

4. 4 62 4.62 2.31 5.33 0.60 50.00

5. 4 69 4.69 2.34 5.47 5.40 0.44 68.18 63.20

6. 4 67 4.67 2.33 5.42 0.42 71.42

7. 5 31 5.31 2.65 7.02 0.34 88.23

8. 5 29 5.29 2.64 6.96 7.00 0.33 90.90 95.41

9. 5 30 5.30 2.65 7.02 0.28 107.1

CALCULATIONS:

COEFFICIENT OF VISCOSITY OF GLYCERIN:

η = 2(ρ−σ)r2g / 9v
η= 0.22*5.84*1.10*9.8/7.73
η=1.79 g/cc

COEFFICIENT OF VISCOSITY OF WHITE OIL:

η = 2(ρ−σ)r2g / 9v
η = 0.22*6.19*1.12*9.8/35.79
η = 0.41 g/cc

PRECAUTIONS:

1. Liquid should be transparent to watch the motion of the ball.

2. Ball should be perfectly spherical.
3. Velocity should be noted only when it becomes constant

SOURCES OF ERROR:

1. The liquid may not have uniform density.

2. The ball may not be perfectly spherical.
3. The noted velocity may not be constant.

RESULT:

1.The coefficient of viscosity of glycerine is 1.79 g/cc.

And the coefficient of viscosity of white oil is 0.41 g/cc.
2. This suggests that glycerine is denser than white oil.