ADAMSON UNIVERSITY

College of Engineering
Chemical Engineering Department
M a ni l a

Experiment No. 4

Measurement of Viscosity

Score

Physical Chemistry for Engineers 1 Lab / 51088

7am – 10am / Tuesday / OZ406

Group Number:

Name Student Number Signature

1. Arellano, Ruth. 201413160

2. Baltazar, Suzanne Clariz M. 201412709

3. Guinto, Aaron Joshua P. 201520158

Engr. Jarlie R. Clemeña

Instructor
Abstract

The experiment conducted was all about viscosity. The researchers used certain apparatus
such as Ostwald’s Viscometer and Portable Viscotester. In using Ostwald’s Viscometer, fluids
being tested are being pumped or sucked up to the upper indicator and getting the record for time
once the fluid reached the lower indicator. There are also other methods that can be used for
measuring viscosity such as the Falling Sphere Viscometer.

Introduction

Viscosity is the measure of resistance of offered by a fluid to flow of another fluid. For
gases, an increase in the temperature and pressure results in the increase in viscosity. However,
the viscosity of gases in slightly affected at low pressures. For liquids, an increase in temperature
results in the decrease of viscosity. Viscosities of liquids are measured using an Ostwald
Viscometer, Portable Viscotester or Falling Sphere Viscometer.

Fluids can be classified according to their rheological behavior. Rheology deals with the
relationship between the shear stress and shear rate ion a real fluid. Real fluids or viscous fluids
are fluids of finite viscosity. Non-viscous fluids have zero viscosity but are compressible.
Viscous fluids can be classified as Newtonian and non-Newtonian according to Newton’s law of
Viscosity.

Fluids with constant viscosity at varying shear rate are called Newtonian Fluids. Non-
Newtonian fluids are those which viscosities are function of shear rate. Non-Newtonian fluid can
be further classified according to the manner their viscosities vary with shear rate. Real plastics
are fluids with constant viscosity at high shearing rate. Suspensions of clay in water behave like
a real plastic. Bingham plastics or ideal plastics behave like a Newtonian fluid only when
introduced with a minimum deformation (yield stress). Sewage sludge is a typical example of a
Bingham plastic. Pseudo plastics are fluids that have decreasing viscosity with rate of shear but
its viscosity becomes constant at high shear rate. These types of fluids are commonly gels like
polystyrene in organic solvents and metallic soaps in gasoline. Dilatant fluids are those with
viscosities increasing with shear rate. Quicksand, butter, starch suspensions are example of
dilatant materials.

Theoretical Background

A body moving in a fluid feels a frictional force in a direction opposite to its direction of
motion, the magnitude of this force depends on the geometry of the body, its velocity, and the
internal friction of the fluid. A measure for the internal friction is given by the dynamic viscosity.
The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to gradual deformation by shear stress or
tensile stress. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of thickness, for example,
ketchup has a much higher viscosity than water. Viscosity is a property arising from collisions
between neighboring particles in a fluid that are moving at different velocities. When the fluid is
forced through a tube, the particles which compose the fluid generally move more quickly near
the tube's axis and more slowly near its walls, therefore some stress such as a pressure difference
between the two ends of the tube is needed to overcome the friction between particle layers to
keep the fluid moving. Viscosities of liquids are measured using an Ostwald Viscometer or
Falling Sphere Viscometer. The operation of Ostwald Viscometer is governed by the Poiseuille
Equation given
 And by the use of standard liquid, the ration of the viscosities yields. Another method to
calculate the viscosity and apply for laminar flow is the Stokes’ Law

It has been shown that, to a fairly high precision and up to many atmospheres of
pressure, the viscosity of a gas is independent of pressure. At extremely low pressures, however,
the viscous drag effects begin to diminish, although the true viscosity remains constant. This
behavior occurs when the mean free path of the gas molecules becomes comparable to the
characteristic dimensions of the system.

Procedure
Results

I. Measurement of Viscosity using Ostwald Viscometer

DISTILLED Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 AVERAGE
WATER
Temperature (o C) 38 38 38 38
Density (g/mL) 0.9957 0.9957 0.9957 0.9957
Viscosity (cP) 0.3299 0.2598 0.2981 0.2959
Time of Efflux (s) 22.55 17.76 20.38 20.23

GLYCEROL
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
o
Temperature ( C) 40 40 40
Density (g/mL) 1.24896 1.24896 1.24896
Viscosity (cP) 35.38 30.99 32.77
Time of Efflux (s) 2418.57 2118.90 2240.27

ETHYL ALCOHOL
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
Temperature (o C) 32 32 32
Density (g/mL) 0.77927 0.77927 0.77927
Viscosity (cP) 0.3192 0.3034 0.2419
Time of Efflux (s) 21.82 20.74 16.54

METHYL ALCOHOL
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
o
Temperature ( C) 38 38 38
 Density (g/mL) 0.77926 0.77926 0.77927
Viscosity (cP) 0.1657 0.2472 0.2101
Time of Efflux (s) 11.33 16.90 14.36

II. Measurement of Viscosity using Portable Viscosity tester (Vt-03)

CATSUP
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
o
Temperature ( C) 35 35 35
Rotor Number Viscosity (cP)
05 0.025 0.030 0.025
04 0.023 0.025 0.025
03 0.065 0.065 0.065

CONDENSED MILK
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
Temperature (o C) 34 34 34
Rotor Number Viscosity (cP)
05 0.120 0.085 0.105
04 Exceed the value
03 0.120 0.115 0.120

Discussion of Results

In this experiment, we need to get the viscosity of the liquid samples using Ostwald
Viscometer and Portable Viscosity Tester. For the Measurement of Viscosity using Ostwald
Viscometer, we recorded the time when the water from the upper graduation of the viscometer
flows down until its lower graduation so we obtained the results in “Time of Efflux (min)”. As
we all know, the density of distilled water is 0.9957 g/cm^3 and the temperature that we got is
constant at 38°C. The density of the liquid samples (glycerol, ethyl alcohol, and methyl alcohol)
can be determined through its temperature while the viscosity was calculated with the help of
Poiseuille Equation. This equation involves the radius and length of the capillary tube which we
have found to be 0.05cm and 8.5cm respectively. Moreover, the viscosity of the samples, catsup
and condensed milk, depends upon the number of rotor (05, 04, and 03) to be used. Lastly, we
measured the temperature of the samples.

Conclusion
The experiment was accomplished successfully since we’ve determined the viscosity of
the liquid samples by using Ostwald Viscometer and Portable Viscosity tester. Therefore, we
conclude that the average viscosities of Glycerol, Ethyl Alcohol and Methyl Alcohol were
32.77cP, 0.2882 cP, and 0.2076 cP accordingly.

Recommendation

To minimize errors in this experiment, carefully clean the Ostwald viscometer before using.
Different kinds of liquid have unique viscosity. Hence, unwanted chemicals mixed with the
liquid samples may affect its flowing time in the capillary tube. Also, make sure that the rotor is
properly attached when using the portable viscosity tester.