PHY136/7

Lab Report Title Page

All information is required

Name: Saakithyan Ganesalingam Student #: 1002464754

Name(s) of lab partner(s): Mohammad Ali, Mackenzie Cicci
Section (e.g. PRA0107): PHY242-PRA0101

TA Name: Mark de Benedetti

Experiment Name: MEASUREMENT OF VISCOSITY

Date Performed: 03/10/17

Due Submitted: 03/20/17

Report Mark: Marked By:

Adhere to class policies, specifically the code of behavior and academic
honesty. Lab reports are to be written individually.
The report should be written using a computer and word processing and
spreadsheet software such as Word and Excel.
You can find the two lab manuals: Introduction to Experimental Physics
and Instruments and Measuring Devices and complete write-ups for all
experiments on Blackboard.
Late reports are not accepted.
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to measure the viscosity of the fluid which in this
case was shampoo. This was achieved by dropping different spheres of different diameters from
approximately the same distance from the top of the fluid which was in a tube. Figure 1. Shows
the relationship between the terminal velocity (shown in table 1.) and the sq. diameter of the
spheres and in which helps to determine the viscosity of the fluid. The experiment was not as
successful as expected. The experimental error was 57% which shows that many errors occurred
during the first part of the experiment to calculate the viscosity of the shampoo which was
determined to be 7835.7 50.2 and the density of the material of the spheres that were dropped
into the shampoo was 2.1786 0.0137 g/cm3. In the second part of the experiment, the
relationship between the temperature dependence and viscosity was analyzed and it was
concluded from table 2. That it was an inverse relationship. Finally, in the third part of the
experiment, the Effect of the container finiteness on the viscosity calculations was determined
and it was concluded that the finiteness of the container plays a crucial role in the terminal
velocity and thereby the viscosity of the fluid. The corrected value of terminal velocity differed
from the observed velocity by an average percent deviation of 41.14 %.

Introduction
Viscosity is a fluid property that measures the resistance of a fluid to flow and can simply
be thought of as the thickness of a fluid. Fluids that have a high viscosity, such as honey or
molasses, have a high resistance to flow while fluids with a low viscosity, such as a gas, flow
easily. The resistance to deformation within a fluid can be expressed as both absolute (or
dynamic) viscosity, [Ns/m2], and kinematic viscosity, [m2/s].

The drag force on an immersed body is in the direction of the flow; thus it works to retard
the motion of a body through a fluid. The diagram below is a schematic of a sphere of radius a
falling freely in a fluid. The weight of the sphere is
W b gV

and the buoyancy force is

FB gV
(1)
and D represents the drag force acting on the sphere. Here is the density of the fluid, b is the
density of the sphere, and V is the volume of the sphere. In the schematic, the sphere is assumed
to have reached its terminal velocity Ut. When it is released into the fluid, it accelerates to the
terminal velocity. Once this velocity is reached, it no longer accelerates and all the forces on the
sphere are in equilibrium.
The drag force on immersed bodies with simple shapes can be correlated to the speed
with which the body moves through the fluid. This is achieved by specifying the drag coefficient
CD defined by
drag D
CD 1
inertial force 2 U 2 S
,
where D is the drag, is the density of the fluid, U is the speed of the fluid approaching the
body, and S is the projected frontal area, i.e., the maximum area perpendicular to the flow
direction. In general, the overall drag force is composed of a component purely from friction and
another component, called profile drag that results from the finite size and shape of the body and
the Reynolds number Re, defined by
inertial force U L
Re
viscous force
,
where L is some characteristic length (diameter in the case of the sphere) and the other quantities
are as defined earlier. A flow with a relatively large value for Re is dominated by inertial forces,
thus appears nearly inviscid.
In addition, the resisting force due to viscosity can be expressed by:

Fv = 3dsv (2)
The purpose of this experiment is to use one of the oldest and easiest ways to measure
viscosity: we will simply see how fast a sphere falls through a fluid. The measurement involves
determining the velocity of the falling sphere. This is accomplished by dropping each sphere
through a measured distance of fluid and measuring how long it takes to traverse the distance.
Thus, you know distance and time, so you also know velocity, which is distance divided by time.
Additionally, you will have to measure the mass and diameter of the sphere.

1 d 2 S F g
VT
18
Given that, Fv = 3dsvT. Net force=0, the sphere has constant velocity

which is its terminal velocity, given by:

(3)
Where
d = diameter of sphere

S = density of sphere = m/V = (mass of sphere/volume of sphere)

F = density of fluid = 1367g/m3

g = acceleration of gravity = 9.81 m/s2

VT = Terminal Velocity = D/t = (distance sphere falls)/(time of it takes to fall)

For the last part of this exercise, we will use the Ladenburg correction for the terminal velocity:
d
vT v 1 2.4 s
D
(4)

where v is the observed terminal velocity, and D is the diameter of the infinitely long container.

Procedure
Refer to the Lab Manual PHY242 Experiment 5:- Measurement of Viscosity for the
complete procedure and information on materials used in this lab. All steps were followed as
shown in the Lab Manual with the only deviation of using a different sphere for exercise 2,
whose measurements were: diameter = 9.37 0.1 mm and mass = 1.0 0.05 g.

Results and Calculations

Diameter of the spheres:

of 9.48 0.01 mm
19.04 0.01 mm
25.36 0.01 mm
Sample Calculations, graphs and tables are shown in the appendix
From Figure 1. And table 1. the viscosity of the shampoo used was determined to be 7835.7 50.2
centipoise (cP) and the literature value is just below 5000 cP and so the experimental error is
56.7%.

In the second experiment the temperature dependence on viscosity was determined and analyzed.
Using equation (3) and by measuring the terminal velocity of sphere 4 dropped into the shampoo, the
viscosities at different temperatures was measured. This is shown in table 2. This is shown to be inverse
relationship so that it agrees with the theory.

The last exercise of the experiment deals with the dependence of viscosity on the length
of the cylinder that contains the fluid. Using equation (4) he observed terminal velocities was
compared to the actual and the results are shown in table 3. From the table it can be seen that
finiteness of the container is also an inverse relationship to the terminal velocity as well as the
viscosity of the fluid.

Discussion
The experiment involved 3 different exercises which all related to the determination of
the relationships of the viscosity of the fluid. For the first part of the experiment, three different
spheres with diameters of of 9.48 0.01 mm, 19.04 0.01 mm and 25.36 0.01 mm were
dropped in the shampoo and the terminal velocity of them were calculated and was graphed. For
the first part of the experiment, three different spheres with diameters of of 9.48 0.01 mm,
19.04 0.01 mm and 25.36 0.01 mm were dropped in the shampoo. The density of the
shampoo was found to be 1.0357 0.0064 g/ml and the spheres dropped into it were made of a
material whose density was 2.1786 0.0137 g/cm 3. Table 1. Shows the terminal velocities of the
different spheres. and Figure 1. Shows the relationship between the terminal velocity vs the sq.
diameter of the spheres and this helps to determine the viscosity of the shampoo, which was
found to be 7835.7 50.2 centipoise (cP) and the literature value varies across different
companies of the shampoo producers and on an average is just below 5000 cP, which gives a
deviation of 56.7 % from the literature value.

In the second part of the experiment the relationship between the viscosity ad temperature
was determined. Looking at table 2. It is clear that the relationship was inverse and this agrees
with the phenomenon by which liquid viscosity tends to decrease (or, alternatively,
its fluidity tends to increase) as its temperature increases. The affects of increasing or decreasing
the temperature also can be analyzed using table 1. For example, as the temperature is decreased,
the heat is taken away from a fluid, its particles slow down and come closer together which
causes the fluid to contract (volume to decrease). This causes the density to increase (D=M/V if
V gets smaller, M/V gets bigger) and Viscosity will also be affected, as particles slow down and
come closer together, it gets harder for them to move past each other. Therefore, viscosity
increases. Also Increasing Temperature as heat is added to a fluid, its particles speed up and
spread out. This causes the fluid to expand (its volume increases). This causes the density to
decrease (D=M/V if V gets bigger, M/V gets smaller) and Viscosity will also be affected, as
particles speed up and move apart, it gets easier for them to move past each other. Therefore,
viscosity decreases.

In the last part of the experiment, the dependence of viscosity on the length of the
cylinder that contains the fluid. Several approximations have been suggested for the finite
containers, one of which is Ladenburg correction for terminal velocity which we will be using
for the purpose of this exercise. Table 3. Shows the observed terminal velocities from exercises 1
and was compared to the actual velocities. From the above table, it can be concluded that the
finiteness of the container plays a crucial role in the terminal velocity and thereby the viscosity
of the fluid. The high percent deviation in the terminal velocity explains the big percent deviation
in the measurement of the viscosity of the shampoo from exercise 1 as discussed before.

In conclusion the experiment was not as successful as expected. The experimental error
was 57% which shows that many errors occurred during the experiment.

Sources of Error
During the course of the experiment we encountered many different errors as the
deviation was calculated to be 57%. This clearly shows that many errors took place during the
experiment. For example, it could be accounted due to the approximation made for the observed
terminal velocity of the spheres and the actual velocities was not taken into consideration except
for comparing the both which can be seen in table (3). Also the cylinder that contained fluid was
not taken into account as there could have been an error while measuring the values. Even
though the spheres were dropping approximately the same distance from the top of the fluid,
there could be deviations as to the difference of distances that each sphere was dropped and this
couldve lead to the deviations.
Appendix

Sample calculation for density of spheres:

m
=
V

4 3 4 3
V = r = ( 0.952cm )
3 3

3
V =3.614 c m

7.9 g
=
3.614 c m3

=2.1859 g/c m3

Sample calculation of error in density:

( m 2 V 2


=
m )( )
+
V

( 0.005 2 0.05 2
=2.1859
19.04 )( )
+
7.9

3
=0.0138 g/c m

Sample calculation for terminal velocity:

t distance traveled by the sphere
v=
( Time Takenreactiontime)

49.9 cm
vt =
11.240.1
 t
v =4.479 cm/ s

Sample calculation of viscosity from slope:

From equation (3)

g ( s )
Slope=
18

980 cm/ s2 (2.17861.0357)

0.7946=
18

=78.357 Poise

=7835.7 centipoise

Sample calculation of error in viscosity:

(
2
m 2 vt 2


=
m )( )( )
+ t +
v

( 0.005 2 0.0049 2 0.0138 2

=78.357
19.04 ) (
+
4.479 )(
+
2.1786 )
=0.502 Poise

Sample calculation of actual terminal velocity:

2.4 ds
Vt=v 1+ ( D )
 (
Vt=4.479 cm/s 1+2.4 ( 1.904 cm
5.8 cm ))

Vt=8.0078 cm/s

Deviation in experimental value of viscosity of shampoo:

Experimental valuetheoretical value x 100

Theoretical value
Error=

7835.75000
Error= x 100
5000

Error=56.7

Determination of viscosity of shampoo (20.3 C)

7

6 f(x) = 0.79x + 1.07

R = 0.96
5

4
Terminal Velocity (cm/s)
3

Figure 1: The above graph depicts the change in terminal velocity

with diameter of the sphere dropped. From the slope of this graph, the
viscosity of the fluid was determined.

Sample Density of Sphere material (g/cm3) Terminal velocity (cm/s)

Sphere 1 2.0170 0.0127 1.5222 0.0028
Sphere 2 2.1859 0.0138 4.4791 0.0049
Sphere 3 2.1897 0.0138 5.9263 0.0057
Sphere 4 2.3218 0.0146 N.A.
Avg. density 2.1786 0.0137
=
Table 1: The above table shows the average density of the material the
spheres are made of as
well as the terminal velocities of the three spheres.

Sample Height of Temperature Terminal Viscosity

bottle shampoo (C) velocity (cm/s) (Poise)
(cm)
Hot temp 18.50 55.60 0.05 61.666 0.067 0.9974
0.05 0.0063
Room temp 17.50 20.30 0.05 9.668 0.011 6.3622
0.05 0.0407
Cold temp 15.30 10.30 0.05 4.124 0.005 14.9150
0.05 0.0955
Table 2: The above table depicts the relationship between the temperature
and viscosity. As the
temperature increases the viscosity decreases.

Sample Observed v Theoretical v Percent error (%)

(cm/s) (cm/s)
Sphere 1 1.5222 0.0028 2.1190 0.0036 28.17
Sphere 2 4.4791 0.0049 8.0078 0.0071 44.06
Sphere 3 5.9263 0.0057 12.1446 51.20
0.0116
Table 3: The above table shows the effect of the container finiteness on the
viscosity and
terminal velocity of the container.

Reference
1. Physics Lab Manual, Electrostatic charge University of Toronto Mississauga,
2016
2. http://www.americanlaboratory.com/913-Technical-Articles/778-Measurement-of-Viscosity-in-a-
Vertical-Falling-Ball-Viscometer/
3. http://www.qclabequipment.com/VISCOSITY.html
4. https://www.slideshare.net/KrunalParmar4/viscosity-measurement-43704393
5. http://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/1.4948314