SCHOOL OF PHYSICS

Physics 1001: Laboratory 10.

Viscosity of a Liquid.

Your name and student #:_________________________________

Date:_________ Markers signature:______________ Mark:______

Pre-lab

(i) In this experiment you measure the terminal velocity of ball bearings falling in castor oil.
Using the appropriate formula in the Introduction section of the experimental procedure,
calculate the terminal velocity of a 6.00 mm diameter ball bearing if the coefficient of
viscosity of castor oil is 1.00 Pas.

(ii) The terminal velocity is measured by timing the ball bearing between two heights in the
castor oil, and dividing the distance between them by the elapsed time. If you drop the ball
bearing from about 3 cm above the surface of the castor oil, and the starting point for timing
is fairly near the castor oil surface, will your calculated speed be greater or less than the
actual terminal velocity for that ball bearing? Explain.

(iii) Find the mean, and the standard error in the mean, of the following numbers:
{1.02, 1.00, 1.21, 0.99, 1.05, 0.98, 0.98, 1.14, 0.92, 0.90}

(iv) If these numbers represent repeated measurements of the same quantity, give the range
of values that is 95% likely to contain the actual value of the quantity being measured.
Measurements:

Size 1 Size 4 Graph Data

Diameter Time Diameter Time
R2 1/t 1/t 1/t
(min) (max)

= =
= =
SE() = SE() =

Size 2 Size 5
Diameter Time Diameter Time

= =
= =
SE() = SE() =

Size 3 Size 6
Diameter Time Diameter Time

= =
= =
SE() = SE() =
Analysis:

Estimated slope from the graph:

Calculated value of :

Comparison with values given in lab manual:

Discussion: