Each of these will be defined and viewed briefly in terms of molecular concepts, and their dimensions will be examined in terms of mass, length, and time (M, L, and T). There are three physical properties of fluids that are particularly important: density, viscosity, and surface tension.
![viscosity definition chemistry viscosity definition chemistry](https://study.com/cimages/multimages/16/laminar_shear_flow.png)
Learn More Buy 1.4 Physical Properties-Density, Viscosity, and Surface Tension The study of fluids in motion helps us to know their working structure and their behavior so that we can force them to behave as per our needs.Fluid Mechanics for Chemical Engineers: with Microfluidics, CFD, and COMSOL Multiphysics 5, 3rd Edition Viscosity measurement is one of the most efficient ways to analyze the key factors that decide the product performance. Manufactures and scientists consider the viscometer as an essential part of their research and development, and also other control programs. Anyone who is involved in fluid motion research and development, fluid transfer, or quality control often needs to deal with some kind of viscosity. The measurement of viscosity is taken with reference to the product quality and its efficiency. Viscosity is also present in semi-solids and gases, and even some kind of solids. When a part of matter moves due to low viscosity, it carries with it the nearby parts because of intermolecular force, and this reduces the motion of the moving part. The viscosity of molasses is more than that of water. Water has a viscosity of 1.002 cPs at a standard temperature of 20☌. Some fluids have high viscosity and behave like solids, such as pitch, peanut butter, and glass. Viscosity varies differently under different temperature and pressure conditions, and the standard condition is represented by ASTM, as centipoise (cPs). Some of the crucial viscosity examples are: When a layer of liquid is subjected to move upon a surface or another layer of the same liquid, the fluid particles tend to oppose such movement this resisting force developed by a liquid is called viscosity. The principle of viscosity is stated here: This helps in better lubrication preventing any wear and tear. The quality of lubricant matters and it should have a proper viscosity and be a multi-grade like API and SN, supplied by some reputed firm. Oil is not always the right option for lubrication. If viscosity is too low at high temperatures, it can't be used for lubrication.Ī moderately viscous fluid is required for lubrication purposes. If the viscosity of a fluid is too high at low temperatures, it cannot be pumped. Fast-moving liquids like water have low viscosity and slow-moving liquids like honey have high viscosity. Viscosity is the resistance produced in a liquid to its flow. Viscosity is an essential feature of liquids that are used for lubrication, like lubricating oils and grease. The generalized expression in coordinate-free form is provided by. Where \, which is a particular case of fluid viscosity.
![viscosity definition chemistry viscosity definition chemistry](https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/rZG0bgxUkEhGXpg8oCrC5h6Hf6I=/768x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/bitumen_bubble-56a12c413df78cf772681cef.jpg)
The force F acting on the fluid particles is directly proportional to the fluid velocity ‘u’ and the area ‘A’ of the layer and is inversely proportional to the distance ‘y’ between them.Īccording to Newton, the viscosity formula is, In fluids, the flow velocity varies linearly at different points, being 0 at the bottom, and a velocity ‘u’ in the top. Sir Isaac Newton has postulated some assumptions regarding the fluid viscosity. Let us consider a liquid in which the fluid particles move in a specific direction in straight parallel lines.
![viscosity definition chemistry viscosity definition chemistry](https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/cC97XLiuFs1B8xC50V7flFO4CdQ=/768x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-947148218-1742a84786ae46b0b229da848348fb0f.jpg)
This makes it difficult for a user to decide the instrument type while experimenting with accurate measurement. Many different types are available for viscosity measurements simple ones involve counting of seconds as a liquid drop from a stick, while complex instruments involve sophisticated automatic recordings. Selecting the right viscometer that suits your experiment is quite a difficult task. There are various methods to measure viscosity, depending upon the type of materials used and the circumstances. This is the reason that fluids with high viscosity need more force to move as compared to those of low viscosity. Shearing occurs when a fluid moves or is distributed, like pouring, spraying, spreading, mixing, etc. More is the friction more is the amount of force required to move the layers this is called shear. The internal forces or friction of fluid comes into play when one layer of fluid is subjected to move over another layer. It is a measure of the internal forces of a fluid. Viscosity is the tendency of a fluid to resist any change in its shape or motion.