Viscosity Experiment and Definition

Experiment: Viscosity of Liquid

• The experiment aims to determine the viscosity of a medium using a small sphere falling with a constant velocity.

Viscosity: Definition and Units

• Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow and deformation under stress.
• It is a fundamental property of fluids that determines how easily they move and their ability to transfer momentum.
• The units of viscosity depend on the system of units used:
  • In the International System of Units (SI), the unit of viscosity is the pascal-second (Pa s).
  • In the British system of units, it is the poise (P) or centipoise (cP).

Factors Affecting Viscosity

• The factors that affect the viscosity of a fluid include:
  • Temperature: generally, an increase in temperature decreases viscosity.
  • Pressure: generally, an increase in pressure decreases viscosity.
  • The presence of impurities: increases viscosity.
  • The size and concentration of particles in suspensions or solutions: generally, an increase in size and concentration decreases viscosity.
  • Intermolecular forces: greater intermolecular forces increase viscosity.

Medical Applications of Viscosity

• Viscosity has several medical applications, including:
  • Measurement of blood viscosity, which can be used to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other circulatory disorders.

Measure the viscosity of a medium using a falling sphere and learn the definition and units of viscosity, a fundamental property of fluids.