Name: Daniel Kelly

Lab#: 7

Title: Viscosity

Date given: February 2, 2019

Aim: To determine the coefficient of viscosity of a liquid by plotting the graph between the

terminal velocity and square of the radius of spherical body.

Apparatus: A long wide glass tube of length about 1m and diameter 5 cm, steel balls of

various diameters, given viscous liquid, stop clock.

Theory: A sphere falling through a viscous liquid is acted on by three forces viz, its own

weight acting vertically downwards and the forces of viscosity and buoyancy acting vertically

upwards. As the ball moves through the liquid, the viscous force increases and this force

together with the force of buoyancy balances the downward force. There after the ball moves

with a uniform velocity called the terminal velocity (v). Therefore,

Where r is the radius of the ball is the density of the material of

the ball and is the density of the given liquid. The above equation is called Stokes formula.

Rearranging and simplifying, Hence, g and are constants. Therefore is also a constant. A

graph drawn taking along x-axis and v along y-axis will be a straight line.

Procedure: The given tube was fixed vertically. Three marks A, B and C were made at

equal distances of about 30 cm from the top. A thistle funnel was placed over the mouth of

the tube so that its axis is along the axis of the tube. The tube was filled with the given

liquid. The diameters of the balls were measured using a screw gauge. The balls were

arranged in sets of equal diameters. The balls were soaked with the given liquid. Then, a

ball from any one set was dropped gently into the funnel. The ball moved down
 Name: Daniel Kelly

progressively As it crossed A, a stop clock was started. The time to cross the marks B and C

were noted. If the time taken to pass through AB is equal to (nearly equal) the time taken to

pass through BC, the ball has attained terminal velocity on reaching A (Otherwise, the balls

from another set of smaller mass which would attain terminal velocity on reaching A has to

be used). Having divided the distance BC with the time interval, the terminal velocity was

calculated. The experiment was repeated with other balls of the same set and the mean value

of the terminal velocity (v) was found. Similarly, the terminal velocities of the balls from the

other sets were also determined.

A graph is plotted taking r2 along the x-axis and v along the y-axis. Using the gradient

suitably the coefficient of viscosity is calculated.

Results:

Set No. Ball no Psr(a) Hsr(b) Diameter Mean

Radius(d/2)
diameter
a+(bxLC)

I 1. 7 0.44 7.44 7.43 3.72

2. 7 0.42 7.42

II 1. 7 0.36 7.36 7.36 3.68

2. 7 0.35 7.35

III 1. 5 0.66 5.66 5.68 2.84

2. 5 0.69 5.69

IV 1. 4 0.16 4.16 4.17 2.09

2. 4 0.18 4.18
 Name: Daniel Kelly

Set no, Ball Time taken Terminal r 2 /m r 2 /v Time to move to

no. to move velocity BC (assume to be

ms-1
AB/s (ms-1) the same as AB)

I 1 2.14 0.14 13.84 98.86 2.14

2 2.33 0.13 106.46 2.33

II 1. 2.25 0.13 13.54 104.15 2.25

2 2.32 0.13 104.15 2.32

III 1 2.87 0.105 8.07 76.86 2.87

2 2.94 0.102 79.12 2.94

IV 1 4.22 0.07 4.37 62.43 4.22

2 4.24 0.071 61.55 4.24

r2
From the graph, the mean value of v = 86.70

Density of the ball (  ) =7.8g/cm3=7.8 x103kg/m3

Density of liquid ( ) = 1.26 g/cm³= 1.26 x 10³ kg/m³

Acceleration due to gravity= 9.81 ms-2

Coefficient of viscosity= ------------(use the equation given and calculate)

 Name: Daniel Kelly

Please note: plot a graph of v against r (this will be a curve) (this is not involved in

calculation)

Also plot the graph of v against r2 (this graph will be a straight line and find the gradient of

this graph and use this gradient in the equation.

r2
Also use the mean value of v to calculate coefficient of viscosity.

coefficient of viscosity is calculated by:

1. Using the gradient of graph

2. Using the mean value from the table.